NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) leaders on Friday met new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, to raise the pending issues and demands of the university and the students.
Aishe Ghosh, president of the JNUSU, said, “The JNUSU after receiving a notification regarding the appointment of the newly-appointed vice-chancellor had gone to meet the V-C on February 8 at her office. The students union then was denied entry. Following that the union repeatedly mailed and sent letters for an appointment to discuss the issues.”
However, she added, “The President and Joint Secretary of the JNUSU met the V-C with a detailed memorandum highlighting the issues of offline classes, GSCASH (sexual harassment), infrastructure issues across campus, health centre, deprivation points, Equal Opportunity Cell, CUET, NEP and other concerns of the student community. On behalf of JNUSU, we had a detailed discussion with the vice-chancellor, rector and the registrar.”
Meanwhile, joint secretary Mohammad Danish, said, “We were notified that the V-C, in full capacity, is willing to solve the concerns of the student community in dialogue with the students and also seeks to take suggestions of any sort from the student community.”
JNUSU shared that V-C will be holding a meeting with the Deans and other officials of the university on February 14, to take up the issues put forth in the memorandum. The union emphasised that the administration should take steps towards democratising the functioning of the University in consultation with the JNUSU and JNUTA.
The memorandum talked about an alarming increase in cases of sexual harassment and stalking with perpetrators. Students demanded that GSCASH which had elected members from all sections of the University be reinstated. JNUSU also demanded action against the faculty members and administrative officials against whom serious charges of sexual harassment have come to fore.
The huge delay in the disbursal of fellowships and scholarships was also taken through the memorandum. Talking about the reopening of the university, Aishe Ghosh said, “The university has released a circular stating that offline classes can be resumed but no arrangement has been made in this regard. The B.A students of 2020 batch and all students of 2021 batch have not been yet called to the University and allotted hostels.
“There is also a huge infrastructural crisis in the university as there are not enough classrooms in the university to accommodate students following physical distancing norms. Most of the on-campus hostels are in a dilapidated state with constant leakages, falling ceilings, to name a few. An overhaul and maintenance of hostels as well as schools is a necessity,” she said.
The students union demanded that the students and teachers of the university be given freedom for voicing their dissenting opinions instead of penalising or criminal-ising them.
Memorandum highlights