3 min readThiruvananthapuramNov 4, 2026 06:28 PM ISTThe division bench said that as per Supreme Court directives, courts cannot grant relief that would require an authority to act contrary to regulations or statutory requirements. (File Photo)Setting aside a single-bench order, which allowed a few suspended students of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Ernakulam district to write their semester exams, a division bench of the Kerala High Court observed that “educational institutions are meant for imparting education and not politics”.Earlier, the single bench had allowed 16 suspended students to pay their fees and appear for examinations, stating that such permission would not confer any right or equity and would be subject to the writ petition’s final outcome.These students, belonging to CPI(M) student wing SFI, had been suspended following a protest and the staging of a street play, which allegedly insulted Vice Chancellor Ciza Thomas, in August. During their agitation, they demanded better infrastructure and academic facilities at the university.The students, who did not meet the mandatory requirements regarding attendance, had moved the single bench, seeking permission to attend the semester exam.But the university appealed against the single-bench directive on October 30.A division bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and S Muralee Krishan on Tuesday observed that the single bench erred in its order in the absence of evidence from the suspended students showing that they were eligible to appear for the semester exam.Also Read | ‘Should not spoil his career’: MP High Court quashes FIR against student over protestThe division bench said that as per Supreme Court directives, courts cannot grant relief that would require an authority to act contrary to regulations or statutory requirements. The court held that allowing students to write the exams without meeting regulatory requirements would undermine both legal standards and disciplinary steps imposed by the university.Story continues below this adQuoting from previous verdicts of the HC, the division bench said: “We would like to observe that political activities like dharna, hunger strikes and other practices like Sathyagrah have no place in a constitutional democracy, much less in academic institutions. Anyone indulging in the said activities in an educational institution would make himself liable to be expelled and/or rusticated.”It said, “Educational institutions are meant for imparting education and not politics. By their political ambition, the political parties cannot hold to ransom the educational institution or the right of the civilized students to receive education.’’Also Read | ‘Moment history will remember’: Jamia Millia Islamia agrees to conduct polls after weeks-long protestThe division bench emphasised that there was a total lack of pleadings or supporting material in the writ petition regarding minimum attendance, passing of internal exams, and applications for condonation of attendance shortage as mandated by university regulations.The court held that the principle that academic discipline must be maintained, political activities are incompatible with university environments, and consequences following suspension such as ineligibility to sit in examinations must be upheld in accordance with institutional rules.Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's co... Read More Tags:Kerala High Court