'University is more than its buildings': 47 former officers petition against Rampur campus demolition

By A Representative 

A group of 47 former top bureaucrats from the All India and Central Services has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging them to halt the proposed demolition of 38 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, established by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.

The Rampur Development Authority (RDA) had earlier this month ordered the demolition of these structures, terming them unauthorised constructions . The decision has sparked anxiety among students, many of whom fear for the future of their education and degrees .

In their letter, the retired officers—who include former Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, former Foreign Secretary K. Raghunath, former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former Chief Secretaries of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, Sharad C. Behar and Anup Mukerji, and former Secretaries to the Government of India Meena Gupta and Siraj Hussain—assert they have no political affiliation.

"A university is more than its buildings. It represents the aspirations of thousands of students, the dedication of its faculty, the livelihoods of its employees, and years of investment in educational infrastructure," the letter states.

The signatories argue that large-scale demolition would disrupt academic continuity and adversely affect the region's educational ecosystem.

The bureaucrats have urged the authorities to exhaust all legally permissible alternatives before resorting to demolition. They recommend that buildings be considered for regularisation, subject to structural safety certification, compliance with fire and environmental norms, payment of penalties, and submission of revised building plans.

"The Government of Uttar Pradesh has consistently emphasised the expansion of quality higher education. Preserving functioning academic infrastructure, wherever legally feasible, would be fully consistent with that objective," the letter reads. 

The former officers have requested a constructive dialogue between the state government, the Rampur Development Authority, the university administration, and the Union Ministry of Education. They have called for all demolition proceedings to be kept in abeyance until a comprehensive review of all legal options for regularisation is completed.

"Such a course would demonstrate not only the State's commitment to enforcing the law but also its commitment to fairness, proportionality and the protection of the educational interests of thousands of young citizens," the letter adds.

The development comes amid growing concerns from students about the uncertainty surrounding their academic futures. While the administration has reportedly set up a counselling centre and suggested students could shift to other colleges, many have questioned why alleged irregularities cannot be addressed without demolishing the campus.