Sanskit varsity suspension row: SFI says relay fast to go on till authorities revoke disciplinary action ‘unconditionally’

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The indefinite relay fast by the suspended activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Keralam entered the fourth day on Thursday (November 5, 2026).

Their hopes of getting relief from the Supreme Court on their plea challenging the order of a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court barring them from writing their semester examinations suffered a setback on the day with the apex court declining to interfere with the directive order of the Division Bench, which had set aside an interim order by a Single Bench directing the university authorities to permit the suspended students appear for their exams.

The university authorities had filed a caveat before the apex court seeking a direction that no interim order be passed on the petition filed by the students without hearings its submissions.

However, the suspended students participating in the relay fast said on Thursday that they have not yet lost their hopes as the Supreme Court has asked the Single Bench to decide on their petition challenging their suspension and permission to write their exams.

SFI activists said their protest would continue until the authorities decided to revoke their suspension “unconditionally.”

A Syndicate meeting held on November 2, 2026 had decided to permit conditional withdrawal of the suspension of 12 out of the total 16 students once they submitted an unconditional apology stating that they will not breach the disciplinary norms in the future. The SFI activists said they will not tender any apology.

The authorities pointed out that the university regulations regulations prescribe minimum attendance requirements, and the applicable provisions related to attendance relaxation and condonation must be followed consistently.

Condonation is subject to the conditions and limits stipulated in the regulations, including any restriction on its use during a student’s course of study, wherever applicable. The university cannot grant exemptions or relaxations contrary to the governing regulations merely because a particular situation has become contentious, they said.

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