Kerala High Court blocks suspended SFI students from taking exams

The Kerala High Court allowed the Sanskrit university's appeal against permitting 16 suspended SFI members to take exams. The students vowed to continue their hunger strike, protests and legal challenge.Image used for representational purposes onlyKochi,Nov 3, 2026 15:40 ISTThe Kerala High Court on Tuesday allowed an appeal by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit and its Vice-Chancellor, Ciza Thomas, against an order permitting 16 suspended Students' Federation of India members to appear for their semester examinations, the Press Trust of India reported.The students, who have been suspended for more than two months, described the decision as "disappointing" and said they would continue their protest and pursue legal measures.A single judge had on October 30 allowed the suspended students to appear for the examinations scheduled to begin on November 4 and directed the university to accept the required examination fees.The university and Thomas challenged the order before a bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S. The bench allowed their joint appeal. A detailed judgment explaining the reasons is awaited, according to PTI. The suspended students began a hunger strike outside the university on Monday. "The university is playing with the future of the students," one of the protesters told reporters.The students were suspended for staging a mock cremation of the Vice-Chancellor and allegedly assaulting her. On Monday, the Syndicate of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, also known as Kalady University, decided that the suspension of 12 of the 16 students could be revoked if they apologised in writing to the Vice-Chancellor.Syndicate members said the suspension of the remaining four students would be extended by another two months because they had entered the university while under suspension.Responding to the decision, the SFI said its members would not apologise.Earlier on Tuesday, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that RSS leaders, including V D Savarkar, had allegedly apologised to the British and promised not to participate in India's freedom struggle to escape punishment."That kind of stand will not be taken by the SFI in Keralam. There will be strong protests against any anti-student decision," Govindan said.The High Court's decision came amid the students' continuing hunger strike, with the protesters saying they would challenge the ruling through legal measures and continue opposing the university's action.- Ends