JNU Suspends 5 PhD Students, Bars Campus Entry Over FRT Damage

New Delhi, February 3:
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has suspended five PhD students, including four office bearers of the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), for two semesters. The students have been found guilty of damaging the Face Recognition Technology (FRT) device installed at the entrance of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central Library on November 21, 2025.

The suspended students—Kizhakoot Gopika Babu, Aditi Mishra, Sunil Yadav, Danish Ali, and Nitish Kumar—have been banned from entering the campus and fined ₹20,000 each. JNU administration confirmed the issuance of suspension letters, but the students declined to comment.

Wider Student Response

In addition, 19 other students involved in the protest have been fined ₹19,000 each. The action has drawn strong criticism from multiple student organizations, who claim it is an attempt to suppress dissent.

The suspension comes ahead of a major planned student movement against the postponement of the UGC Promotion of Equity Regulations 2026, which included a torch march on February 6 and a student parliament on February 7. The university stated that show-cause notices were issued on January 15, 2026, and that the students’ responses during the investigation were deemed unsatisfactory.