The row over suspension of 16 SFI activists at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Keralam | Explained
The SFI activists were suspended on August 13 during the first meeting of reconstituted Syndicate amid protests the university says included a mock funeral for Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas; the action has sparked a legal battle as students sought to sit for upcoming exams, while authorities defended disciplinary measures and demanded an apology
Sixteen Students Federation of India (SFI) students were suspended at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) in Keralam during a protest on August 13, 2026. The protest aimed to address various demands, including the condition that they would not participate in a mock funeral for Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas, which authorities alleged involved defaming and damaging her car.
The SFI state leadership contested these claims, stating the students staged a symbolic protest regarding damaged theatre equipment. A Syndicate meeting on November 2, 2026, allowed the unconditional suspension withdrawal of 12 students if they apologized and pledged not to breach future disciplinary norms. The SFI activists refused to apologize and initiated an indefinite relay fast.
A court case ensued with the Kerala High Court permitting the students to take semester exams, but the Division Bench of Justices Anil K. Narendran and S. Muralee Krishna intervened on November 3, 2026, to challenge the Single Bench's order. The students are now seeking Supreme Court relief.
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