New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, known for its robust student movements, will now penalise protests on campus with a fine of up to Rs 20,000 according to new rules released by the university administration.The Rules of Discipline and Proper Conduct of Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University by the Chief Proctor’s Office were approved by the University’s Executive Council on November 24.The manual states that based on the severity of the actions either one or two punishments will be handed out, which include a fine of up to Rs 20,000; up to two semester’s eviction from the hostel, rustication, and declaring out of bounds from entire JNU campus for up to two semesters.Either one or two of these punishments will be handed out for “hunger strikes, dharnas, group bargaining and any other form of protest within a 100-metre radius of any academic and administrative complexes and/or by blocking entrance or exit of any academic and administrative complexes at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi”, “disrupting the movement of any member of the University community in administration, academic complexes, etc”, violation of rules/orders/circulars of competent authority, Obstruction/damage of electronic devices (i.e. camera, phone, etc.) at the time of evidence collection by security staff, among others.The new manual also provides for stringent punishment for “all acts of violence and all forms of coercion such as gheraos, sit-ins or any variation of the same which disrupt the normal academic and administrative functioning of the University and/or any act which incites or leads to violence”, gheraos, laying siege or staging demonstrations around the residence of any member of the University Community or any other form of coercion, intimidation or disturbance of right to privacy of the residents of the campus.”These actions will attract one or two of the following punishments including a fine of upto Rs 20,000, withdrawal of hostel facility, cancellation of admission or withdrawal of degree or denial of registration for a specified period, rustication and declaring out of bounds from entire JNU campus up to four semesters, expulsion from the University.Either one or two of these punishments will also be handed out for possession of illegal arms, any intimidation or insulting behaviour towards students or staff, wrongful confinement of staff or faculty.It also states that the punishments may be applied for “any other act which may be considered by the Vice-Chancellor or any other competent authority to be an act of violation of discipline and conduct.”The rules also state that students may face a fine of Rs 6,000 and/or may have to carry out JNU community service for “organising events such as freshers’ welcome parties, farewells or DJ events” on the campus without prior permission.Aimed at stifling vibrant campus culture: JNUSUThe JNUSU (the students’ body) of the campus has condemned the new rules and demanded that they be revoked.The JNUSU said that the rules were brought in “without any discussion or deliberation with the stakeholders of the university.”“The manual grants unprecedented powers to the Chief Proctor, compromising the autonomy of the student community,” it said in a statement on Monday.“The stringent measures outlined in the manual are aimed at stifling the vibrant campus culture that has defined JNU for decades. Such excessive regulations are intended to discourage open discussions, dissent, and intellectual exploration, which are fundamental to the spirit of our university.”The JNUSU said that the manual comes at a time when the students are facing “several academic and infrastructural issues in the campus” including lack of access to journals, disrupted water supply, crumbling hostel buildings, delayed hostel admissions, and shortened semesters, among many others.“Despite repeated demands from the student community, the university administration has been unjustly delaying the conduct of student union elections, which has been stalled for four years now. The attack on the Student Union and student activism is an attack on the very democratic ethos that has built the university itself.”In his note in the foreword to the manual Chief Proctor Prof. N. Janardhana Raju said that the rules were brought in because it was “strongly felt” that the existing disciplinary rules be reviewed.“It was strongly felt to review the existing disciplinary rules and regulations of Office of the Chief Proctor,” the foreward note states.“There are no substantially approved rules and regulations on proper conduct and discipline of students by the Statutory Body (i.e. Executive Council) of Jawaharlal Nehru University in vogue. Hence, it is imperative to undertake a careful preparation of Chief Proctor Office (CPO) manual encompassing rules and regulations to be followed during the proctorial enquiry based on the experiences accumulated over the years.”The Wire has reached out to JNU vice chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit for a comment. This report will be updated when a response is received.