Thanks for your feedback, that's valuable and reasonable.

In this case, the LI conversation had not ever named the faculty member. The Instagram video referred to had been very widely shared already and the GNLU student body and administration were clearly aware. It was also clear that the recording was not manufactured (though in cases like these it is also obvious that the video can never be the complete story either).

The intention behind hosting discussions such as these is therefore to give oxygen to these kinds of issues and to allow for them to be debated on the basis of their respective merits. There have certainly been some very well-thought-out and balanced responses in this thread alone that have been quite elucidating and interesting.

And some of the responses will hopefully also create more empathy from students for teachers, many of whom are having as hard a time as students or anyone else in this pandemic.

At the same time, we would hope that it would also raise further awareness with faculty and administrations about the struggles students are facing. Most faculty will be aware, but in stressful times such as these, accidents or miscommunication can also happen, and it is certain that these kinds of incidents are not isolated or limited to GNLU either.

Dear LI,

I haven't seen the video, am not from gnlu, and don't have any dog in this game. But, you do need to set some standards for what is permissible under the conversations section. I quite enjoy reading the conversation threads and I think it is a valuable space. However, if you allow attacks on individuals (as opposed to institutions) to run unchecked, you are not only opening yourself up to defamation (which you may or may not care about) but are also acting in an ethically suspect manner (which I hope you do care about). I am sure you know that LI is widely read and followed in the legal community. If every small thing (that too without full context) becomes the subject of a LI conversation, that is going to have a huge impact on how faculty members in particular interact with students. This is not a defence of bad behaviour by faculty members - which you should definitely report on. But allowing anyone to vent unchecked on LI against an individual, can have huge repurcussions on that individual. This is why many people are claiming that social media naming and shaming was disproportionate to what was said. By all means, if you thinking wrong doing has happened here, do your journalistic duty and do a story on the issue, and give this professor and other students a chance to respond. But don't let the conversations feature devolve into a mud slinging forum against individuals. Hope you will rethink your general policy on what is permitted under the conversations tab.

This is something that the university should realise. Right now is not the time to take end term exams. They should postpone all assignments and end semester exams. These are extraordinary times. Why is the administration behaving as if everything is fine with the world? Just see how many people are dying daily. Students too live with their families. They are suffering with mental breakdowns, future anxiety, etc. Any details on online psychological help extended by GNLU free of cost to its students in the past one year or so? Feel free to share. I'll seriously appreciate (and try to implement them in my next fav university RRU). drumroll

As a human being, I can also safely say that it is probably the worst time that the mankind is facing. University students - adolescents and young adults - are traumatised fearing for future job prospects, internships, etc. Please refrain from making blanket statements that only put students' dedication under the scanner.

Listen, sir. Some people may have "infiltrated" some place. We legitimately took admission after cracking CLAT. Leftists have an equal right to freedom of speech and expression as the rightists. And this must be respected all the more in a place where Bimal had ordered playing bhajans everyday on a loudspeaker in the hostels. Wth all due respect to religious sentiments, one can only imagine how humiliating it would've been for people from other beliefs and non believers.

You talk of "confidential internal documents". If you are a lawyer, or worst a law teacher, my heart is already broken. Instead of promoting transparency in a public institution, you are promoting hiding things under the carpet. Is this what you teach in the classroom? Taking revenge on the poor kids and deliberately failing them. We all know how the staff and faculty at GNLU got promoted. Don't even get me started. If you are so afraid of "leaking information", ask the administration to have more integrity.

The faculty, the admin and the students must be sensitive and honest right now. Also, the kids who got the extra the marks in the history in the gnlu by acting the sweet should stop the commenting. The faculty isn't teaching the school the kids the anymore.

PS: Emphasis on "the" deliberately supplied and the pun is the intended.

Legally India must do better than be a mouthpiece for frustrated individuals on the internet. What does it say of your journalistic standards if you permit such toxicity to brew unabated on your comments section, all based on an anonymous Instagram post? Imagine the toll such vile comments could have on the mental health of the faculty member?

Mental health and kindness are a two way street and you're enabling aggression against faculty members to rage on unchecked in your comments sections. If you think there is a public interest in this discussion, as you say so yourself, how come as a journalist you decided that the best way is to put up this page instead of a well researched post? You didn't even report on the university's response, there's no quote from the admin either, did you reach out to them? GNLU faculty is still reeling from the death of one of their own, and they still turn up to lectures and do their assignment evaluations and try to ensure that students are being taught, all while dealing with grief and pain. If students want multiple relaxations from their admin, they should also cut some slack for those on the other side, who happen to be humans as well.

@20: I totally disagree with Legally India. You are repeatedly trying to foment unrest among students in each and every NLU for the past few years by leaking confidential internal documents. You are working in league with rowdy leftist elements who have infiltrated NLUs. For example, at GNLU there is a Twitter and Instagram account by these rowdy students called GNLU Resistance Force, which is openly posting abusive messages against the college. It seems such students may be leaking information to Legally India.

Kian, this sort of thing should either be reported as a well researched post, or not at all. You've done this for matters like SAM's vaccination drive: things that originated on social media and warrant a discussion. This discussion thread is just heavy mud slinging based on one anonymous Instagram post. Point 3 of your comment isn't entirely accurate. Many many comments here have rightfully pointed out that the post in question demonises a faculty member who otherwise enjoys a stellar reputation amongst students in the university. This encourages witch hunting of people online, which isn't up to your journalistic standards.

The student's caption on Instagram does not convey the entire story and while the faculty's response here was poorly thought out, you cannot reduce her entire worth as a teacher to one outburst in class when she's earned the benefit of doubt over years of being a good teacher. You should reconsider keeping up this post that will only generate more vitriol.

Regarding several reports requesting removal of this page, in the current circumstances that does not appear to be justified.

1. This discussion does not name any faculty member, and the link to the Instagram post, which had been widely shared and read and that included the name of the faculty member, had been redacted upon request on LI.
2. The discussion also raises a legitimate issue common at a lot of law schools (and also workplaces) at the moment on how to deal sensitively with pandemic-related issues, including extensions, bereavements, etc.
3. As far as we understand, there is no dispute as the fact that the things alleged to have been said were in fact said.
4. There appears to be a public interest in this kind of discussion being had.

If you disagree with the decision, please let us know with specific reasons for why this discussion is not valuable and should be removed.

No. If you're from GNLU and have been taught by her, you'll know exactly why people are turning up in her defence. The student who has put up this video has smartly avoided giving any context in her caption. Why isn't her dishonesty being questioned? The faculty member in question is bound by strict admin driven deadlines for evaluation and disclosure of marks, a new system which was put in place when the admin changed and has been appreciated by everyone, even if it isn't always followed. The student in question has benefited from an extension already and wants more without any reason, which would upend the whole process for the whole class. It's ridiculous that such childish behaviour is encouraged by internet mobs which see one half of the issue and not the other.

Do you know the teacher in question? I have been a student of hers and while she does have a tendency to say things that probably shouldn't be said out loud, she's also an excellent academician, a kindhearted soul and has been very accommodative of every student's individual problems since the pandemic began. The person who put up the video should have known that out of context clips on the internet can spiral into a controversy like this for no reason. Did the teacher say some unsavoury things that she shouldn't have? Yes. But is she an inherently bad person who deserves this censure by the internet? No, she really is not, as any of her current students can vouch for.

If the basis of that trust is so fragile, then it is probably a good riddance. As someone who has taught occasionally at more than one law school, I can't believe that the student is being blamed for all this! All the uber-conservative and authoritarian rumours that one gets to hear about GNLU seem to be well-founded now. A student should not have to feel ashamed about bringing before the world what a teacher says in classroom. You people are just destroying every good thing about education. It's not only about getting jobs.

@The student: If you are reading this, and if you are afraid of repercussions or bullying, please get in touch with Kian. I will let him know to connect you with me for any assistance that you may need.

Where in my comment did you find any dictation? The student is free to put up a social media post, as they have. Regardless, what's being said in the class by the professor in question is arguably not as controversial as it's being made out to be. As someone who's involved in teaching currently, I can safely say that some students have taken this past year as a free for all, being completely unresponsive in classes, never submitting assignments on time et al. Students need to be mindful of the fact that teachers are also undergoing the same crisis as everyone while trying to maintain some semblance of an academic program.

Most of the GNLU students and alumni loves the faculty the most and I have been her student. I can vouch for the fact that students conspired against her to get their purposes served. I think this is wrong on LI to fuel this news. She is a true gem and we can't see her being defamed in this manner for no fault of hers when she had already done what was expected out of her to ease the burden.

Saying things in class that you don't mean is not really an excuse. If she doesn't want others to know what she is saying, then maybe she should be more careful in choosing her words. The onus is definitely on her as a teacher, and not on the student. If she doesn't want to give an extension, she could have simply said so and in a much better way. People here are now trying to extol her virtues and how she's given extensions earlier. None of that condones this behaviour on her part now.

You are just making a strawman argument. In no way does this discredit any student who has lost someone. When the faculty pulls off a distasteful stunt like this, the student is basically powerless against them, so if they post it online, then they can't be blamed for that. Why would I say something in class if I've got a problem with the rest of the world knowing that I've said it? Stop defending this person, she has done something bad, and is now exerting pressure and influence to ensure that others don't get to know. Such 'quality' in a teacher is disgusting.

Its very unfortunate that such a respected and loved faculty is being criticized whilst the point that was trying to make was not wrong. She has been the best faculty twice and constantly represents GNLU internationally. Sorry to see that certain students have attempted to intimidate her.

When she had already given so many relaxations, I don't think she should have extended deadlines specially it was a project assigned to a group of five.

This is outrageous Kian. The student who has put it has informed half of the story.

The concerned teacher already have multiple extensions and was still willing to give an extension further to those who have genuine concerns. Deadline for the whole batch could just not be extended again.

The student is demanding an extension till 22nd May and to tell you what, end exams in HNLU are about to start on 20th. As per GNLU rules, internal marks should be released by the teacher before the end sems. How can you expect her to evaluate 180 projects in a day or two? She also needs time. Is she not a human? She is equally affected by this covid situation. What about her rights? Is this fair that I will submit the project very late and that too a group project and expect my teacher to evaluate within hours?

People need to understand that. Dont start blaming someone without understanding the whole story. If anything, that student should give a public apology to the professor.

Also, please take this page down. Atleast, you should understand that none should be condemned unheard especially when one has done no fault

The Faculty gave us barely 10 days to make the project, and do you know what the assignment was? Some students have to research on the constitution of countries like Kosovo and write a project on who borrowed elements from their constitution and from whom they borrowed it. Sounds easy, right? FYI: India doesn't even recognize Kosovo's constitution. There are hundreds of such instances and she didn't double the marks, she didn't give any assignments on time and thus is trying to cover her incompetence under the garb of "doubling the marks"

This growing cancerous tumor in law schools to go about cancelling people needs to be cancelled before anything else. Anyone who has been her student for even one semester, understands that she has a tendency to say stuff which she doesn't mean at all.
Could have chosen her words more carefully? Yes. Does her poor choice of words in any way reflect an actual lack of leniency towards students? No. If you really take a look at her actions for easing the burden of students, she has been more than reasonable. Refer to @Samrat's comment above to know about it.

And may I know who are you to post videos anonymously online? To those who are concerned about mental health, wouldn't uploading videos online in a disproportionate measure cause any harm to the person concerned? But sochne wala kon hai? Humko bas kisi bhi tarah date extend karwani hai. This also discredits people who have actually lost their dear ones during these times and need genuine help.

I agree with Rajeev125. I am happy that Legally India has removed the link. Now kindly delete and remove this page also. It is a type of cyberbullying to go after a lady professor in public like this. It is very unfortunate that students from an esteemed NLU like GNLU are doing like this.

Students have tried to play with the message that she was conveying. She had already given extensions for those who were facing covid issues in their families
and instead of taking a written test had taken a MCQ test to make life easier of students. She also doubled 15 marks test to 30 marks. I think this criticism of one of the best faculty of gnlu is uncalled for.

I think LI should immediately take off this page as without knowing the entire version, it is not correct to criticise a faculty who has done a lot for students in so many years. She is one of the most loved teachers at GNLU and criticising her unnecessarily and thinking students to be correct just because students have the tool of social media platform is incorrect.

Faculty had given one project of 20 marks to a group of five students. If five students together cannot do a project of 20 marks in 15 days, what other leniency is being expected from a faculty.

On account of Covid related issues, a MCQ of 15 marks which was taken earlier was made of 30 marks so that students get enough time to focus on their family as well. The faculty had voluntarily told students that she would double your marks so that you get more time to focus on other ongoing issues.

She had stated that she cannot generalize extensions for all and those in personal difficulty may write to her and an extension would be considered and granted.

I think faculty is being lashed unnecessarily when she wanted to convey a good message to all. Students must refrain from doing this and respect the faculty.

This looks like a case which could have been settled internally but the students who held up grudges against the teacher over some past instances have taken their chance to flare it up.

Case in point the fellow who pointed out about the phone instance. Buddy pad likh ke vakeel bano kuch paise kamao aur kuch baanto. Yeh sab karne se kuch ni hoga.

This is coming from someone who absolutely has nothing to do with GNLU. Before y'all come at me with your hi-fi english laden defenses with unwarranted vocab borrowed from some book used in CLAT prep.

I also clarify that the teacher was wrong. But no way did the same demand this entire build up.

Ever heard of anything called reprisal? The student can't take any action against the teacher or the admin. The opposite is not true. Google whistleblowing and find out what it means. Unless someone is spreading fake info, which is not the case here, everybody has the liberty to remain anon.

GNLU has officially responded after the comment was posed on LI and Insta. The official statement is on the Insta page and reproduced below.
>The pandemic has been a difficult time for all of us at GNLU, from our students to the faculty members. The various grievances raised by the student community, especially with respect to project deadlines and the end semester examination have been brought to our attention and we are currently in the process of finalising a decision on the same.
>We would like to assure you all that your health and safety is a paramount concern for us. In these difficult times the university administration is with all of you and we will try our best to resolve this as soon as possible.
>Kindly feel free to address any issues/discrepancies related to the same with the authorities without any hesitation.