NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) on Monday alleged that several newly appointed faculty members have had their probation periods arbitrarily extended, as it also raised objection to the appointment of Rector I, claiming that it was done in violation of the seniority rule.
Terming these actions “illegal” and “detrimental” to the institution’s ethos, the JNUTA in a statement alleged that the appointment of Rector I was made in violation of Ordinance 5 (Clause 4), which states “if there are two or more rectors, the rector who has the longest continuous period of service shall be the senior most”.
The JNUTA claimed that by disregarding the clause, the vice chancellor “is willingly committing an illegality that has repercussions for the university, given that it involves an office as important as that of Rector I”. According to JNUTA, the move has already had its implications as the newly-appointed rector participated in the 159th academic council meeting on October 10 and is set to attend the 319th executive council meeting scheduled for Monday.