GLC Mumbai students go all out to stop teacher’s transfer

One would think the students of Government Law College (GLC), Churchgate, were cramming for a semester examination. But they, in fact, had their noses down any book they could lay their hands on to figure out the way to file a petition in the High Court against the transfer of their favourite lecturer, Rachita Ratho.

They have already sent a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, signed by 200 college students, pushing their case. “We will meet Chief Justice Mohit Shah as soon as we get an appointment,” said third-year student Gayatri Chadha.

The letter alleged that complaints of sexual harassment, lecturers’ misconduct, and the below par quality of teaching to the college management had fallen on deaf ears and that Ratho was being punished for raising their issues. “...a person is punished for speaking up for what is right, for fighting against injustice and unfairness,” it read.

Rishabh, a student, said Ratho was popular because she heads the students’ counselling centre, and the moot United Nations, magazine and dramatics clubs at the college.

Another student said of the 39 lecturers at the college — which has about 1,000 students, 34 are visiting faculty and four are on probation.

After the order to transfer the political science lecturer arrived on December 5, students requested their principal RB Malik not to relieve her.

A higher education department official said the order was issued after an inquiry into a rift between Ratho and Dr Manjusha Molawane, the then acting principal of GLC.