National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore has been accused of arbitrarily dismissing visiting faculty, Sidharth Chauhan for criticising the administration including the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar..Post the alleged gang rape incident of a NLSIU student, on November 27, 2012; the NLSIU administration has imposed curfew on the campus from 9 PM to 6 AM on all days. Students were not permitted to leave or enter the campus during the curfew time. A similar notice was forwarded to the parents of all the NLSIU students by the Vice-Chancellor and it stated, “You are hereby advised to cooperate with the institution in the interest of your ward here, otherwise be mentally prepared for the consequences of your ward’s action”..It was pursuant to this Chauhan wrote a very detailed email to the NLSIU administration and other stake holders. The letter took serious objection to the blanket ban imposed and also pointed the opacity with which such a decision has been made. The letter also pointed out, non-continuance of weekly faculty meetings and an unprecedented centralisation of decision-making both with respect to academic and administrative matters at the NLSIU. Chauhan has also criticised the manner in which subjects were being allocated. The letter says, “Several courses have more or less collapsed since they have either been allocated to instructors with no previous background in the respective fields or poorly-performing instructors have been allowed to continue in their roles on account of extraneous factors.”.Chauhan also wrote another letter to the Vice-Chancellor criticising about the letter he had sent to the parents. The letter said, “Language in the said letter is downright embarrassing, especially since it is coming from the head of the institution.” Also this letter pointed out that the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, has taken the curfew decision in their personal capacity and not with the approval of the Executive Council..It is alleged that these two incidents has sparked the sudden dismissal of Chauhan. Speaking to Bar & Bench, Chauhan said, “The order came as a bit of surprise. There was no formal communication before. Only communication I got was yesterday.” On January 31, 2013, the NLSIU Registrar has informed Chauhan via email about his termination. The notice mentions that Chauhan shall cease to be a visiting faculty at the NLSIU from February 28, 2013..Chauhan said, “I was already in two states of mind. Now that, this order has come, I will spend some time at home to pursue some long-pending writing commitments and prepare for doctoral studies. I will not be challenging this order before any Court of Law as mine is a temporary position where the employer is not obliged to state reasons for dismissal. I do plan to write some articles about decision-making structures in National Law Schools, hopefully to push for some constructive changes in the long run.”.Chauhan graduated from NLSIU in 2008 and pursed his masters from University of Pennsylvania in 2011. After completing his masters, he joined his alma mater as a visiting faculty..Image Courtesy: Facebook
