DSA Implements Enhanced Night Entry Protocol: Breathalysers, Reduced Hour Bank Following Thursday Night Crisis

On Friday, 6th February,2026, Dean of Student Affairs (DSA) Dr. Dheeraj Sanghi sent out an email to the student body addressing changes to the Night Entry Protocol, effective immediately. The cumulative delay permitted for the semester, which previously was set at 10 hours, has been "reduced to 5 hours until further notice". The email stated that between 12 AM and 6 AM, entry would only be through Gate 1, with mandatory bottle emptying and possible security checks of jackets and pockets. The most significant change is the mandatory breathalyser test during those six hours.

This announcement follows events of Thursday, 22nd January, which saw nearly 1500 students leaving campus and over 750 not returning post midnight. About 15 students were found with Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) levels above 100 or had refused to cooperate with staff; non-cooperative students were assumed to have BAC levels of 100 or above. “We will have to do something to ensure safety and wellness of all our students,” Dr. Sanghi said in his email sent on Friday, 23rd January.

In a follow-up email sent on Saturday, 2nd February evening, the Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) stated that the administration's initial proposals were harsher, suggesting reduced curfew timings to 10 p.m. and implementing mass breathalysers.

The AUSG email clarified that breathalyser checks would only apply to students entering after midnight, not those returning before unless they appear visibly inebriated. Additionally, they said that. They emphasized that positive results would trigger incident reports though disciplinary proceedings or Committee Against Disciplinary Infractions (CADI) issuance would depend on contextual factors including the student's past conduct and incident severity. AUSG also stressed the community's collective responsibility to act with maturity and not put students at risk through excessive alcohol consumption.

(Edited by Sahana Radhakrishnan and Giya Sood)