NEW DELHI: Despite an “advisory” by Jawaharlal Nehru University administration to resume their academic activities, the JNU Teachers’ Association on Monday in a meeting with the Human Resources Development Ministry officials made it clear that the teachers will not return to classes until VC M Jagadesh Kumar is removed.
After launching what they are calling a “non-cooperation plan”, the JNUTA declared that it will defy two circulars issued by the administration asking teachers to be present in their offices for registration.
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Nearly 500 of total 600 teachers in the university are a part of JNUTA. Senior members of the association, presenting a dossier of procedural violations by the VC in last four years, said that they “cannot work pretending that everything is normal”.
JNUTA president DK Lobiyal asked that since there was no examination held in the university — the administration was making a mockery of itself when it’s not clear classes for which semester are expected to be conducted.
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“The administration is expecting us to get back to academic work as if nothing has happened but without evaluating students how do we move on?” said Lobiyal, who led an 8-member team which met with HRD joint secretary (central universities) GC Hosur and other officials.
Bishnupriya Dutt, vice-president of the association, accused that the situation in the university has become ugly because of the complete administrative failure under the VC.
Meanwhile, the HRD Ministry made it clear to the delegation of JNU teachers that removing the VC could only be the “last resort” and it was trying to find a middle ground. Two JNUTA members have been called for a meeting with HRD secretary Amit Khare on Tuesday.