Pune University to give gold medal to only 'vegetarian and teetotaller' students

Pune University will award gold medals only to students who are "vegetarian and teetotaller".

The Savitribhai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has issued a circular informing affiliated colleges and departments about the conditions.  

The circular states that students will be eligible for the gold medal if they are "vegetarian and teetotaller".

The circular further states that besides being "vegetarian and teetotaller", the student should believe in Indian culture, tradition and practise all these values in his or her daily life. 

To quality for the gold medal, students are is also required to be versatile in activities like dance, singing, eloquence, theatre, yoga, pranayama and meditation.

The gold medal in question -- given on alternate years to science and non-science stream students -- is sponsored by the yoga guru Yog Maharshi Ramchandra Gopal Shelar also known as Shelar Mama. 

The medal is sponsored by Shelar Mama's trust and family members. 

The university has distanced itself from the eligibility criteria.

And has said that it does not differentiate between anyone on the basis of food habits. 

The university also clarified that the circular is old and re-issued every year without any modification in content, and that only the date on the circular is changed. 

"As far as setting up the terms and conditions in the circular, the varsity has nothing to do with this as the terms and conditions in the circular were not drafted by the university. All these terms and conditions were drafted and given to varsity by the trust of yog maharshi Shelarmama then, who then wanted to constitute the gold medal in the name of the Yog Maharshi," PTI reported SPPU registrar Arvind Shaligram as saying.

The university added that it would discuss the eligibility criteria set down with Shelar Mama's family members.