There are two types of noise on a university campus —

the noise of festivals, debates, protests, placements…

and the sound that almost nobody hears:

silence.

The silence of students who are scared.

The silence of colleagues who are helpless.

The silence of junior faculty who fear retaliation.

The silence of institutions desperate to protect their image.

The silence of committees designed to bury, not resolve.

Bullying and abuse of power is one of academia’s most silent underbellies —

not because it is rare,

but because it is dangerous to talk about.

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Scene 1: The Student Who Didn’t Speak

A first-year student is humiliated in class by a professor.

His voice shakes.

His face burns.

His classmates look down, embarrassed for him.

Later, his friend says,

“You should complain.”

He whispers,

“To whom?

And at what cost?”

He stays quiet —

not because he is weak,

but because the system is.

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Scene 2: The Junior Faculty Who Knows the Rules

A young lecturer faces verbal bullying from a senior.

Personal comments.

Sarcasm.

Belittling.

Threats disguised as advice.

Her colleague tells her:

“Complain to the internal committee.”

She laughs —

a sad, hollow laugh.

“The committee reports to him.”

This is the underbelly nobody sees:

power evaluates itself.

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Scene 3: The Department Where Fear Lives Quietly

A senior professor is known for temper, insults, domination.

Students avoid his subjects.

Colleagues avoid confrontation.

Administrators avoid trouble.

At meetings, people nod even when they disagree.

After meetings, everyone complains — quietly, helplessly, bitterly.

The tyrant remains untouchable because:

• he brings research money

• he brings rankings

• he brings political support

• he brings seniority

His behaviour becomes “tolerated tradition.”

And tradition becomes trauma.

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Scene 4: The Global Parallel — Boston, 2022

A Harvard scholar says at a dinner:

“You don’t lose your job here for bullying.

You lose it for plagiarism.”

Her colleague adds:

“Plagiarism hurts reputation.

Bullying hurts people.

Guess which one the system fears more?”

Across continents,

power protects itself.

Victims protect themselves by staying quiet.

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Why Does Bullying Survive in Academia?

1. Hierarchies Are Deep and Emotional

Professors hold intellectual power.

Administrators hold institutional power.

Guides hold doctoral power.

Seniors hold departmental power.

And fear trickles downward like gravity.

2. Students Have No Safe Channel

Everything goes to:

• Internal Committees,

• Grievance Cells,

• Ombuds,

• Faculty Advisors.

But those committees often include the same people

students fear.

3. Junior Faculty Depend on Senior Goodwill

Promotion, thesis evaluation, publications, recommendations —

all controlled by seniors.

Challenging power means career suicide.

4. Institutions Value “Reputation Management”

Bullying cases aren’t seen as injustice.

They are seen as “scandals.”

So they are managed quietly.

Preferably buried.

5. Bullies Hide Behind “Academic Freedom”

They say:

“I am strict for quality.”

“I am pushing them.”

“This is my teaching style.”

And the system accepts it —

because bullies are often productive on paper.

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Scene 5: The Internal Committee Farce

A student submits a complaint.

The committee meets.

The accused is respected.

The student is questioned.

The report is sanitised.

The outcome is “caution advised” or “case inconclusive.”

The student withdraws emotionally.

The bully returns to class.

The system continues —

untouched, unshaken, unresolved.

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The Emotional Underbelly

Bullying in academia isn’t loud.

It is subtle.

Surgical.

Psychological.

It appears as:

• humiliation dressed as humour

• domination disguised as discipline

• gaslighting presented as mentorship

• favouritism masquerading as academic judgment

• exclusion justified as “professional hierarchy”

Victims rarely have bruises.

They have quiet wounds —

self-doubt, fear, broken confidence,

lost opportunities,

erased voices.

And these wounds don’t show in NAAC reports

or NIRF rankings.

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Scene 6: The Professor from Amsterdam

She says over coffee:

“Academia attracts brilliant minds…

but also insecure ones.”

Her colleague adds:

“And insecure minds with power are dangerous.”

Both look away —

because they know this is the deepest truth of the system.

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Who Pays the Price?

Students

Lose confidence.

Lose trust.

Lose their voice.

Junior Faculty

Lose courage.

Lose opportunities.

Lose their careers.

Departments

Lose collaboration.

Lose honesty.

Lose innovation.

Institutions

Lose integrity.

But protect reputation.

Bullies?

They lose nothing —

until much later,

or never.

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Underbelly Essence

Bullying in academia is not a behavioural issue.

It is a structural issue.

A system where

power is concentrated,

accountability is weak,

committees are cosmetic,

and culture normalises silence —

will always breed abuse.

And unless universities rebuild courage,

redistribute authority,

and redesign grievance systems

to protect the vulnerable instead of the powerful,

the campus will remain

a place where ideas grow freely…

but people grow in fear.