Delhi University Students Allege Forced Attendance at Viksit Bharat Programme
NEW DELHI: Multiple students from Indraprastha College for Women, a constituent college of the University of Delhi, have come forward with serious allegations regarding an incident that occurred on April 8. They claim they were effectively detained on campus for more than an hour and prevented from leaving, allegedly to ensure their attendance at an administrative programme focused on the central government's flagship 'Viksit Bharat' initiative.
Campus Lockdown and Student Distress
The students reported that while the event was underway in the college auditorium, security personnel closed and locked the main gate of the campus. Individuals attempting to exit were redirected back toward the event venue. The programme, an international conference titled 'Viksit Bharat @2047 and World Order', was organized by the Department of Political Science and featured invited dignitaries. The incident reportedly took place around noon.
Videos circulating on social media platforms depict a tense scene at the gate, with students gathered and arguing with security guards. In the footage, students can be heard explaining they had urgent family emergencies requiring them to leave immediately. A guard is audibly heard responding that the gate was locked on the "instructions of the principal" and that students were required to attend the event in the auditorium. One distressed student is heard telling a guard that her parents were repeatedly calling, confused as to why she could not exit the premises.
Allegations of Coercive Practices for Turnout
According to the students' accounts, the gates were only reopened after a significant group assembled at the entrance and vocally raised objections. They further alleged that this was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern. Multiple events were scheduled on campus that same day, including a certificate course session on menstrual health and hygiene organized in collaboration with UNESCO at a different venue.
The students claimed they were being pressured to attend these programmes to guarantee an adequate audience turnout. They stated that making event attendance a prerequisite is a common practice at the college, often tied to academic requirements. They alleged they are frequently mandated to attend various events and are only marked present for their regular classes if they do so at the designated event venue.
"This practice of forcing attendance undermines our autonomy and creates unnecessary stress, especially when we have legitimate reasons to be elsewhere," one student was quoted as saying in the online discussions following the incident. The allegations have sparked a debate about student rights and institutional practices within the university framework.
