AUSG Expresses Concern over Workers’ Dining Facility, Attitude Toward Workers’ Issues

On Friday, December 19th, 2025, the Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG)  released a statement expressing disappointment over the new dining space established for outsourced staff in the basement of Academic Block-02. As per the statement, the demand for a dining space for workers was included in the Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) Proposal put forward by the Workers’ Welfare Committee (WWC) after the workers’ protest earlier this semester. Other demands in the proposal included 40% representation for workers on the GRC, subsidised or free medication, and a potential shuttle service for late shift workers. The proposal also called on the administration to address shift timings, which frequently stretch to 9 hours.  

As per Tanisha Iyer (UG '26), Secretary of the WWC, the AUSG received an email from the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), Mr Dheeraj Sanghi, on December 12th regarding the establishment of the dining area. An inspection was conducted by the WWC, and findings (as included in the AUSG statement) revealed that the area was “isolated”, “extremely dirty” and “[had] no lighting or heat”. Furthermore, the space had only four tables to service a worker population of over 500. The Edict has not independently verified these facts as of this moment. 

Iyer confirmed that the WWC had spoken with workers, who agreed with the issues discussed in the statement, stating that they would “rather eat elsewhere.” The statement read that the AUSG was highly disappointed by the conditions, and reiterated that dining and resting areas for workers should be “dignified and accessible spaces,” as noted multiple times in discussions with the administration.

The AUSG placed the poor conditions within what it termed “a continual dismissal of workers’ issues” by the administration through the implementation of “haphazard measures.” The statement alleged the administration had ignored the attempts to discuss workers’ issues. Iyer noted that, after an initial meeting on November 4th, requests to meet with the DSA to discuss revisions to the GRC proposal were “continuously ignored.” The remaining demands also hang in limbo, Iyer explained. “For the 40% representation [we were told] that it is something we would need to run by the Vice Chancellor. For the other demands, we submitted the revised proposal saying that DSA would have to respond in a week… these were demands which he agreed were rational and could be done. We still haven’t received any response.” 

The Edict reached out to the DSA, Mr. Sanghi, for comments, but received no response. Speaking about the AUSG’s role in helping implement the GRC proposal, Iyer said, “The SG’s work on workers’ issues is to serve as a means of communication. The issue of implementation is not something that falls on students or workers; it falls upon the administration.” 

In their statement, the AUSG recalled the workers’ protest during the Monsoon 2025 semester, saying that workers have still not been addressed with dignity and respect in its aftermath, and calling the attitude toward workers’ issues at Ashoka “appalling.” The statement concluded by calling on students to be informed of this conduct and to raise their voices and concerns in support of workers at Ashoka. 

(Edited by Anamta Husain and Fatema Tambawalla)