NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union Friday accused the varsity administration of cutting down library funds from Rs 8 crore to Rs 1.7 crore. In a statement to the press, they also alleged that the JNU VC wants the library to be shut at nights.
In an "extraordinary" and "surprising move", the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration, through Rector and Librarian, have provided a detailed chart for privatisation of Dr B R Ambedkar Library through massive fund cuts - from Rs 8 crore to Rs 1.7 crore, the JNUSU said in a statement.
"When members of the library and JNUSU representatives raised questions on such drastic cuts and asked why was the university not taking measures to ensure funds, Financial Officer Hiraman Tiwari said they did not have the authority to do so as the budgeting format had been changed by the UGC, and inter transfer of funds from one head to another is not possible," it said.
An Edexlive.com report quoted N Sai Balaji, the newly elected president of JNUSU as saying: "We have been told that the UGC is not giving the money to the university. But our Vice-Chancellor Dr M Jagadesh Kumar is a member of the UGC. So, what is stopping him from to release more funds? They don't have funds to renew the subscriptions or to buy books but they have the money to call Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sadhguru and to buy new cars."
The president told Edex: They said that I'm the only one rejecting the decision. Why will I not reject it? It's a scam that's happening here. If libraries don't have books, what are they going to do there?
The statement says that the JNU admin has given the students an option between having outside books in two of the reading rooms (which was fought for by the previous JNUSU) or allow them to close the library between 12 pm to 6 am. The reason quoted by the varsity admin is allegedly due to fire security threats in the two reading halls. "JNUSU is amazed how did the library hall permitted to constructed without exit for fire emergency. Rather than bringing to table an alternative plan to solve the issue and punishing the officials for the over lapse who were responsible in designing and constructing the hall. Closing the hall and restricting entry of outside books at a time when JNU doesn’t have money to buy books is nothing short of farce and only shows the true intention of JNU i.e. to close down library facility."
The student body said: "JNUSU warns the administration and Modi government that if public funded universities are privatised and destroyed this way, the students and youth of this country are not going to keep quiet."
JNUSU said that due to the fund cut, auto renewal of e-journals, e-subscriptions like JSTOR, Sage Publications and others would not be renewed, signalling closure of research in the varsity from January.
Rather than finding ways to keep these subscriptions alive, Rector, Librarian and others have openly asked the officials to communicate the same to the publishers, it said.
"JNUSU is appalled and condemns the massive fund cuts and has told the committee that all stakeholders of the university should write to the Prime Minister and Vice Chancellor of JNU, who himself is a member of UGC, which has decided to stop the funds for the library, about the matter," the statement said.
The JNU administration did not respond to calls or messages.
(With PTI inputs)