Hyderabad: In an interesting development, the University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Monday said it has kept in abeyance the suspension order of ten students after they appealed to the Vice Chancellor.

The students were suspended for a period ranging from six months to two years from academic programmes and hostel on November 8 in connection with an incident in which student boarders had “prevented” wardens from discharging their duties on November 3.

“The ten students who have been suspended have appealed to the Vice Chancellor. He has decided to refer the matter to the appellate authority, the executive council (EC), which is scheduled to meet on December 2. Pending consideration of their appeal, the university has decided to keep the suspension order in abeyance until the matter is disposed by the appellate authority,” the varsity said in a release tonight.

Pending the executive council decision, the suspended students would be permitted to appear for the end-semester exams provided they meet the normal academic requirements, it added.

According to the UoH’s internal committee, a team of faculty administrators of hostels who were on a routine check of one of the men’s hostels had found a girl student staying in a boy’s room, which is against norms.

After the incident, the varsity had said it might undertake a comprehensive exercise to elicit the views of all relevant stake-holders, including students and parents, about the kind of residential facilities they would like the UoH to provide.

“If a majority of them feel that students should be able to stay in a co-ed hostel if they chose to, the varsity might consider creating such a space and allow students to formally register for such accommodation,” the UoH had said.