The College Failed..!

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09 May 2026

A campus that cannot protect its students loses its moral right to call itself an institution of learning

The suspension of an Assistant Professor and the Principal of Amar Singh College following a harassment complaint by a student is a grave moment for higher education in Jammu and Kashmir. It is not merely an administrative development. It is a test of the moral credibility of our academic institutions, the seriousness of the government’s much-claimed zero tolerance policy, and the larger social willingness to stand by victims when they speak. Education Minister Sakeena Itoo’s prompt statement that the government acted immediately after receiving the complaint sends an important signal. In matters involving harassment, delay itself becomes complicity. The decision to suspend both the accused faculty member and the Principal indicates that responsibility in such cases does not end with the alleged perpetrator alone. Institutional accountability matters. If complaints are ignored, delayed, diluted or mishandled, the system itself stands accused. Yet suspensions, however necessary, are not justice. They are only an interim measure intended to prevent interference, reassure students and protect the integrity of the inquiry. The real question is whether the promised investigation will be fair, independent, time-bound and credible. Far too often, institutions respond to such crises with procedural language, internal committees and temporary outrage, only to slide back into silence once public attention fades. That would be a disastrous outcome here. What makes this case especially significant is that students had to protest. Demonstrations on a college campus are not routine expressions of inconvenience; they are often the last resort of those who feel unheard. When students come out in anger over the alleged harassment of one among them, it reflects not only concern over an individual incident but also a deeper anxiety about trust, safety and power within the institution. A campus cannot be a place of learning if students fear humiliation, coercion or retaliation. This episode must therefore push the administration and the Higher Education Department to go beyond damage control. Every college in Jammu and Kashmir must be asked a basic question: are internal complaint mechanisms functional, accessible and trusted by students, especially young women? Do students know where to report harassment? Are complaints handled confidentially? Are principals and department heads trained to respond sensitively and lawfully? If the answer to any of these is no, then the system remains vulnerable. There is also a larger cultural issue that cannot be ignored. Harassment survives in spaces where authority is treated as immunity and where victims are expected to remain silent to preserve institutional “reputation.” That mindset must end. The reputation of a college is not protected by suppressing complaints; it is protected by confronting wrongdoing with honesty and courage. The government has taken a visible first step. It must now ensure that this case is pursued to its logical conclusion and that accountability is fixed wherever it is due. Most importantly, it must restore confidence among students. A classroom should be a space of growth, not fear. If campuses cannot guarantee dignity and safety, they betray the very purpose of education.