Ashoka University introduces new Residence Life, NOC and Disciplinary Proceedings Policies: Increased Administrative Control and Student Surveillance

On Wednesday, 30th July 2025, between 5:25 p.m. and 5:28 p.m., the Registrar’s Office at Ashoka University sent out three emails in quick succession. These emails contained 3 documents:

1. Guidelines and Regulations on Disciplinary Proceedings, 2025

2. Guidelines and Regulations on Residence Life Policy

3. University Policy on Disciplinary Records for Purposes of NOC [No-Objection Certificate] from the Registrar.

The Edict notes the addition of several new clauses and an amendment in many others, particularly those related to substance use, student protests, and mental health protocols. These changes follow a series of recent developments, such as the installation/re-activation of baggage scanners and the suspension of an Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) member, both of which suggest an increasingly unilateral exercise of administrative authority.

About three hours later, the AUSG proceeded to release a preliminary Statement, which stated that no members from the AUSG, nor any relevant student representatives, were involved in any decision-making process. 

AUSG's statement on the new policies

The Edict analysed the three documents in comparison with the previous versions available to us. The updated policies largely indicate an increase in parental involvement, stricter disciplinary procedures, and increased administrative control and student surveillance. 

Guidelines and Regulations on Residence Life Policy

The Ashoka University Guidelines and Regulations on Residence Life 2025 introduce new policies and offences absent from the 2022 version as detailed below:

The following tables highlight some of the changes made to existing policies, which are underlined. 

Sections	Residence Life Policy 2025	Residence Life Policy 2022
Quiet Hours (III.C)	“During Quiet Hours, students are expected to refrain [...]. Wardens / Security personnel may check the students anywhere on campus, including both inside and outside the Residence Hall.”	“During Quiet Hours, students are expected to refrain from playing music or creating loud noise in the Residence Hall rooms, washrooms, hallways, etc.”
Entry-Exit Procedures - Gate Protocol (IV.A)	“Resident students (applicable to all Ashoka students) will be permitted to enter or leave campus between 6:00 am and 12:00 midnight only. They are expected to strictly adhere to these timings, failing to which amounts to main gate infractions and is subject to parental notification for all UG students. Repeated infractions may result in disciplinary proceedings as per the Code of Conduct policies.”	“Resident students will be permitted to enter or leave campus between 6:00 am and 12:00 am only. They are expected to strictly adhere to these timings.”
Health and Mental Health (VI.A.2)	“The Residence Life Office will notify the parent(s)/guardian of the concerned student about the situation if required. The student (if medically alert and conscious) will also be kept in the loop while notifying the parent(s)/guardian. No consent of students is required necessarily for any of the above.”	“The Residence Life Office will notify the parent(s)/guardian of the concerned student about the situation if required. The student (if medically alert and conscious), will also be kept in the loop while notifying the parent(s)/guardian.”
Safety: Psychoactive Substances (VII.C)	"Any student found consuming or possessing alcohol, narcotics, or related substances will be immediately reported to the University concerned and legal authorities.”	“If a student is found consuming any of the aforementioned materials and/or is found in possession of alcohol/narcotic drugs, they will be reported to concerned authorities.”

Notably, the University now also reserves the right to inform parents or guardians and take action as it deems fit, raising concerns about student privacy. 

The policy also introduces a new clause on student protests. While peaceful protests are allowed via this document, they are now confined to designated zones as mandated by the Office of the VC or Pro-VC, with assistance from and in consultation with appropriate departmental heads, on a case-by-case basis and require prior administrative approval. The document also prohibits the use of suggestive posters and slogans in common areas.

This trend extends beyond freedom of expression and into more personal areas of student life, marking a significant shift in the University's approach to mental health and medication management. Students taking prescription medication for mental health from now on are also required to update the Residence Life Office or keep the infirmary updated with a current copy of the prescription. In addition, students are strongly encouraged not to retain more than a seven-day supply of prescribed medication, with continued access mediated by the University’s infirmary or designated pharmacies. 

The updated guidelines also signal a markedly punitive approach to student conduct and increased residential monitoring. It lists severe disciplinary consequences-including suspension, financial aid forfeiture, and even expulsion for students exhibiting disruptive behaviour after substance use. 

The new guidelines also authorise invasive search protocols, such as checking mobile covers and prohibiting the use of electronic devices during room inspections, with violations resulting in disciplinary action. Wardens are now permitted to inspect rooms using master keys after a minimal notice of 2 minutes, when a requested inspection is denied or the room door is not opened by the student. The Edict had previously reported on concerns surrounding room inspections - not only in terms of how they are conducted, but also their frequency and alleged undue targeting.

Guidelines and Regulations on Disciplinary Proceedings

The second document released, Ashoka University Guidelines and Regulations on Disciplinary Proceedings, 2025, also introduces new policies and offences absent from the 2023 version, as shown below:

Section/Topic	Ashoka University Guidelines & Regulations on Disciplinary Proceedings, 2023	Ashoka University Guidelines and Regulations on Disciplinary Proceedings, 2025
3.5	Quorum for all CADI meetings: A minimum of 5 faculty and staff members, and a minimum of 2 student members.	Quorum for all CADI meetings: The quorum for meetings of the CADI shall be a minimum of three faculty/staff members.
8.1	Parents/guardians of students found in violation of university policy will be notified only in cases where a suspension or an expulsion order is made as a penalty.	Parents/guardians of students found in violation of university policy will be notified as per Annexure 1 (Edict Note: Annexure 1 contains a non-exhaustive list of offences with escalation mechanisms)

In addition to the above. New offences span subjects such as “Refusal to undergo Breath Analyser test at Infirmary, anywhere on Campus or Main gate” and “Taking non-disposable university cutlery, including plates, spoons, forks to Residence Halls,” among others. These are in addition to changes made to existing offences (as per the 2023 version), removal of some offences in the 2025 version, and the clearly mapped Three Strike System. The latter is an escalation protocol for each violation, along with some new infractions that are not present in the 2023 version.

The 2023 version was limited to having the name of the Disciplinary Authority, without having “Strike-wise Consequences and Action Steps”, “Strike Mechanism”, or “Stage of Infraction”, and their respective “Consequences/ Action Steps”

Furthermore, “for all existing students all previous Infractions/Warning letters will count as Strike 1 at the beginning of AY 2025-26.”

Guidelines and Regulations on Disciplinary Records for Purposes of NOC

The third document released was the University Policy on Disciplinary Records for Purposes of NOC [No-Objection Certificate] from the Registrar. This document, as per the MyAshoka portal, is a registrar’s office-owned policy. The Edict was able to access an older version of this policy from the AUSG’s official online Platform, but was unable to verify the date of creation of this earlier policy. 

The changes observed include the addition of the Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC) and Students Grievance Redressal Cell (SGRC) to the list of committees whose decisions and sanctions impact student eligibility for a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Apart from that, a few clauses have been rewritten. The new version further clarifies how sanctions affect NOC eligibility: any student suspended for disciplinary infractions is categorically debarred from receiving an NOC, and any sanction, including warnings or probations, by either the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC/CASH) or the Anti-Ragging Committee (ARC) automatically results in NOC denial. 

For sanctions issued by other committees, such as CADI (Committee Against Disciplinary Infraction), AIC (Academic Integrity Committee), EOC, or SGRC (other than suspension), the length of time a student is ineligible for an NOC must be specified by the relevant committee. The updated policy has also introduced a formal appeals mechanism, allowing students to challenge adverse NOC decisions, with the Vice-Chancellor serving as the final decision-making authority. 

Edited by: Tanisha Pandey, Madiha Tariq, Tanush Guha

Fact Checked by: Tanush Guha, Tanisha Pandey