JNU students say 'academic emergency' at varsity

November 12, 2019 00:07

The protesting students of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union on Monday said the varsity is facing an "academic emergency" and demanded the removal of V-C M Jagadesh Kumar "for his inability to carry out the role of a vice chancellor in any reasonable and democratic manner".

They also reiterated their demand for the withdrawal of draft hostel manual.

The students' union has been on a strike for close to a fortnight against demanding withdrawal of the draft hostel manual, in which service charges of Rs 1,700 were introduced and the one-time refundable mess security fee has been hiked from Rs 5,500 to Rs 12,000.

The rent for a single-seater room has been increased from Rs 20 per month to Rs 600 per month, while rent for a double-seater room has been increased to Rs 300 per month from Rs 10 per month.

The draft hostel manual also has provisions for dress code and curfew timings, the students' union alleged, even as the administration denied these two claims.

On Monday, the protests against the issue escalated with students marching from JNU campus to the AICTE building, breaking barricades, where the third convocation of the varsity was being held.

They protested for close to nine hours and the air resonated with slogans of "Humein chahiye Azaadi curfew se, dress code se" to the thumping of dhaplis.

The students' union also had the support of other parties like BAPSA, Kshatra RJD and Congress-backed NSUI.

After the protest got over at 7 pm outside the AICTE building, the students moved back to the varsity campus and said they will continue the strike.

In a statement, they said, "Due to the 999 per cent fee hike that is being imposed on us, the University today faces an unprecedented crisis, with an overwhelming number of its students facing a threat to their academic future."

"For a university where a majority of students come from the most marginalized backgrounds in this country, it no wonder that many of the degree receiving students participating in the convocation also joined the protest," they said.

The students' union office-bearers also submitted a memorandum of demands to HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', who was stuck inside the venue for close to six hours due to the protests. -- PTI

Image: Jawaharlal Nehru University students try to open the gates during a protest against the administration in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI Photo

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