Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) last month issued a 15-page chief proctor manual on ‘’the rules of discipline and proper conduct of students” and was approved by the JNU’s executive council.
Students at JNU can now face a penalty of Rs 20,000 for engaging in activities like holding dharnas, hunger strikes, group bargaining, or any other form of protest around the residence of any member of the university and within a 100-meter radius of any academic and administrative complex.
The move didn’t go well with students. They are up the ante for the withdrawal of the manual. Aishe Ghosh, a student union leader, had said, “The government has been hunting down dissent. This manual is about setting narratives.”
Over the latest controversy, Ifrah Mufti speaks to Dr K Lobiyal, the president of the JNU teachers’ association.
Excerpts
Is there any positive response about the manual? Are fines too much on the students’ pockets?
It is a matter of criticism only and it will not create any positive impact on the campus. I believe that students should have the freedom to use their rights and it includes the right to protest as well. Secondly, imposing such heavy fines on students who are from financially poor backgrounds is unreasonable. I have seen students collecting money from their teachers, friends and outsiders just to pay the fines.
With new rules, poster politics and the culture of reclaiming walls by the student outfits will take a back seat?
I don’t see this happening. When Mamidala was the Vice-Chancellor of the JNU, he had also ordered to clean the walls but when the new V-C came, the walls were reclaimed with handmade poster politics. With the imposition of the new manual, the restrictions may take a back seat for a while but it will return as I believe that the poster politics is the heart and soul of the JNU.
DU had conducted student union elections after three years. JNU is yet to hold them. Your comments
To the best what I think is when you want a particular ideology to win but you don’t see it happening so delaying the elections is the best way to avoid talking about it. I can substantiate this with a very recent example. We had executive council elections to appoint professors, assistant professors and associate professors followed by by-elections. The administration was keen on making certain people win but they failed. The administration is afraid of resistance and protest so the best way is to delay the entire process.
Is the JNU thinking of reconsidering proctorial inquiries initiated against the students’ union representatives and 12 hostel presidents for holding a protest?
I don’t think so.
The teachers union has been raising concerns over the long pending promotions. Can we see it in the near future?
This is true that the JNU teachers have been waiting for their promotions for over 10 years now and it has been a long pending issue and remains unresolved. However, in the last meeting held last week with the JNU rectors, the issue was discussed and there was an agreement on it. However until it comes into action, we cannot trust them as the university has given such assurances many times.
What to expect from JNU in this year?
Firstly, the most important is the promotions for teachers. Secondly, the democratic space of the university which is shrinking needs to be reclaimed. Then the academic calendar needs to be in place. The PhD admissions which would have started in August 2023 are still underway and affecting the study curriculum. The exams need to be conducted on time or we should go back to the old system of JNU’s academic calendar. Also, the varsity should hold students’ election by March once the PhD admissions are over.