Panaji: The Goa State Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to Goa University Vice Chancellor Harilal B Menon over an alleged incident in which male students were paraded in their underwear during the university’s cultural festival.
The commission, on Wednesday, July 10, asked the Vice Chancellor to appear before it and submit a reply by July 23.
The rights panel took suo motu cognisance of a news item that appeared in a newspaper this week.
The order issued by the Goa Human Rights Commission states that, taking suo motu cognisance of the matter—which prima facie indicates violations of the human rights of students—the Commission directs that a notice be issued to the Vice Chancellor, Goa University, Taleigao, Goa, to submit his report/reply on or before July 23 at 10:30 AM.
A senior Goa University official said the incident occurred during the inter-departmental festival “Frolic” held in February this year.
“The incident took place during one of the competitions named ‘Third Degree,’ in which the jury asked the participants to undress and remain in their underwear,” the official said.
National Students Union of India (NSUI) leader Naushad Chaudhury, while condemning the incident, said that women students were present in the crowd attending the festival.
“The students were not allowed to leave. It was an extremely embarrassing situation for the female students and also for the males who were present there,” he said.
The NSUI has planned protests against the event.
Goa’s political opposition — the Goa Forward Party (GFP) — was the first to bring this incident to the attention of the media.
GFP President Vijai Sardesai said that his party had also questioned the authorities over the incident.
After the issue surfaced on Wednesday, Goa University announced a “discretionary holiday” for Thursday, July 11.
“All the teaching, non-teaching staff, and students of the University are hereby informed that Friday, 11th July 2025, has been declared a discretionary holiday,” University Registrar S N Dhuri stated in a circular.
“This is issued with the approval of the Vice Chancellor,” the circular reads.
