Scholars protest ahead of RDVV convocation ceremony:Gold medalists question criteria for limiting stage honours to only 20 ahead of President Murmu’s visit

A controversy has erupted ahead of the 36th convocation ceremony of Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya (RDVV), with hundreds of gold medalists and research scholars accusing the university administration of discrimination over its decision to allow only 20 students to receive degrees and medals on stage from the President of India. The convocation is scheduled to be held on June 21, but protests broke out on Friday after students claimed they were informed during rehearsals that only a select group would be invited to the stage, while around 220 other gold medalists, PhD, D.Litt., and D.Sc. awardees would remain seated in the audience or acknowledge the President from their seats. Scholars travelled from across India and abroad The university had scheduled rehearsal sessions from June 18 to June 20 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., prompting scholars and medal recipients from several Indian states and even overseas to travel to Jabalpur. Many students said they had paid the prescribed registration fee and attended the event expecting to receive their honours directly from the President, or, under protocol, from the Governor. They claimed they learned of the revised arrangement only during the rehearsal. Students question selection of only 20 awardees According to the protesting scholars, convocation coordinators Prof. S.S. Sandhu and Prof. Rakesh Vajpayee informed participants during rehearsals that only 20 students would be called onto the stage for the ceremonial presentation. The students questioned the basis of this selection, arguing that every gold medalist had secured first rank in their respective discipline and therefore deserved equal recognition. They further alleged that no eligibility criteria or selection process had been made public through the university website or any official communication. “We would not have travelled thousands of kilometres” Several researchers said that had they been informed in advance that they would not receive on-stage recognition, they would not have undertaken long journeys merely to attend as spectators. They maintained that the issue was not just about receiving a medal but about equal treatment, dignity, and recognition for academic achievement. Demand for equal recognition The protesting students demanded that if it is not feasible for the President to honour every recipient individually, then the remaining scholars should at least receive their degrees and medals from the Governor in accordance with established protocol. They argued that excluding the majority of eligible awardees from the stage undermines the very spirit and purpose of a convocation ceremony. Female students allege misconduct by university employee During the protest outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office, another controversy emerged when some female students alleged that a Class IV university employee used abusive language and behaved inappropriately while attempting to disperse them. The students have demanded action against the employee over the alleged misconduct. Vice-Chancellor meets student representatives As the protest intensified, the Vice-Chancellor arrived at the university and invited a group of female students and student representatives for discussions. During the meeting, the students urged the administration to preserve the institution’s long-standing traditions and ensure equal treatment for all scholars who had achieved the same academic distinction. The Vice-Chancellor reportedly heard their concerns, sought time to deliberate on the matter, and assured them that efforts would be made to ensure fairness and equal respect for all eligible recipients. Students cite constitutional principle of equality The protesting scholars argued that limiting on-stage recognition to only 20 recipients while excluding hundreds of other gold medalists contradicts the spirit of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. The demonstration was attended by several researchers and medal recipients, including Dr. Divya Chaubey, Dr. Supriya Ambar, Dr. Shweta Tiwari, Dr. Samiti Shastri, Priyanshi Kourav, and Sanjay Patkar. The protesters stressed that the issue is not about individual recognition but about ensuring that every meritorious student receives equal honour and opportunity. They are now awaiting the university administration’s final decision.