Army Law College Pune Students Allege Academic Mismanagement, Harassment; Demand Immediate Intervention

Kamshet, 14th August 2025: Students of the Army Law College (ALC), Kanhe, have submitted a detailed grievance report to the institution’s Chairman, alleging a pattern of academic mismanagement, administrative misconduct, and mental harassment under the current leadership. They have been protesting for the last seven days.

In a letter dated August 9, the students claim that the situation on campus has deteriorated sharply since the appointments of Principal Dr. Madhushree Joshi and Registrar Col. Suneel Mann. They have demanded urgent intervention, including the replacement of both officials, reinstatement of the student council, and formation of independent grievance and fact-finding bodies.

“We enrolled at Army Law College with immense faith in the values of the Indian Army — discipline, integrity, leadership, and fairness. Those values are no longer being upheld,” the letter states. “We are not just writing for ourselves, but for those who may silently suffer.”

Key Allegations
The grievance report outlines multiple concerns:
Academic Issues: Faculty allegedly assigned subjects outside their expertise, frequent last-minute timetable changes, and inadequate teaching support. Students claim some classes were arbitrarily delayed despite teachers being ready to conduct them.
Mental Harassment: The principal is accused of humiliating students in public, implementing policies without consultation, and dissolving the elected student council in violation of university provisions.
Discriminatory Conduct: Students allege they were treated differently based on their parents’ military rank.
Administrative Misuse: The registrar has been accused of misusing college staff for personal errands, imposing restrictive hostel rules, and making demeaning remarks to students.
Placement and Internship Hurdles: The placement cell is reportedly undermined, with companies allegedly discouraged from conducting campus recruitment.
Financial Concerns: The report alleges a lack of transparency in NCC enrolment fees and budget cuts to major student events.

The document also accuses the administration of calling police and local officials to disperse a peaceful student demonstration on August 8, during which students say they were threatened with legal action.

Students’ Demands
The letter lists specific actions sought from the Chairman:
Immediate replacement of the principal and corrective measures for the registrar.
Reinstatement of the student council as an independent body.
Neutral grievance redressal committee to operate without administrative interference.
Independent fact-finding commission chaired by an academic elected by faculty.
Full financial transparency on institutional spending, NCC fees, and hostel budgets.

“We are made to feel like inmates, not learners,” the students wrote. “As law students, we are taught to stand up for justice. Today, we are demanding that justice be served within our own institution.”

The students have also offered to provide documents, testimonies, and other evidence to support their claims.

A demonstration by students on Friday prompted the college administration to summon police to the campus, escalating tensions between the two sides. The protest was held over what students described as long-standing, unresolved grievances.

Several students claimed that the decision to involve police appeared to be aimed at intimidating them rather than resolving their concerns.

However, Principal Dr Madhushree Joshi, along with Registrar Col Suneel Mann, dismissed the allegations and maintained that the situation had been stirred by a small group of students. “The nature of the protest was not reflective of the entire student body. ALC follows a tradition of discipline, and our doors remain open for constructive discussion. Written representations will be reviewed according to our institutional procedures,” Dr Joshi stated.

She further said that academic activities were not disrupted. “Students were invited to the auditorium for dialogue, and all classes continued as planned,” she added.

The administration emphasised that discipline and open communication are part of ALC’s ethos and that formal channels exist for students to raise their issues.