The All India Student’s Union (AISU) unit has written to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar highlighting the “toxic classroom environment, harsh words, and cruel behaviour exhibited by certain faculties and the management” of the PES University. This letter was sent after no action was taken against the professors mentioned in the charge sheet related to the suicide of Aditya Prabhu.
Aditya Prabhu, a 19-year-old student jumped to death from the building of the reputed PES University in Bengaluru in July 2023 after being accused of cheating in an exam and facing alleged mental harassment by the management. Another student, Surya M Achar, a third-year BTech Computer Science from the Electronic City branch of PES University ended his life by jumping from the college building recently.
These incidents have highlighted the toxic culture present in the university, says the letter. Titled “Petition for immediate UGC intervention and investigation into alarming incidents and lack of accountability at PES University”, AISU submitted the letter to the UGC Chairman today, November 16, Thursday. Speaking to EdexLive, National Organising Secretary Aryan Gupta said, “Since the university has neither taken any action nor suspended the professors mentioned in the charge sheet, we have written to UGC seeking intervention.”
“If UGC and management fail to address the issue, we will post a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday, November 18,” he added.
Letter to UGC
As per the letter submitted to the UGC, the concerns mentioned are:
1. The recent incident involving a student’s suicide has raised serious concerns about the well-being of students within PES University
2. The police investigation, as indicated by FIR Number 02/2023 filed at Girinagar PS, Bengaluru, has implicated three professors from the college
3. It is deeply disconcerting to note the gravity of the situation, especially considering the serious charges filed against these professors
4. Equally troubling is the apparent lack of action taken by the college administration in response to these charges
“We urge the UGC to investigate this matter thoroughly and take appropriate action to ensure the safety and well-being of students at PES University. The integrity of the academic environment should be preserved, and those responsible for creating a toxic atmosphere must be held accountable,” the statement further added.