Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) who have been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 12 days have issued an open letter to their teachers, urging them to extend active support to their ongoing protest.

The students are demanding the reinstatement of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEE), among other key issues.

According to the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), 14 students initially joined the indefinite hunger strike, while over 230 students have been participating in a relay hunger strike.

The protest is centred around four demands, including the restoration of the JNUEE, halting the eviction of PhD scholars from hostels, revocation of proctorial enquiries against students, and an increase in the Merit-cum-Means scholarship.Five students, including JNUSU President Nitish Kumar, Councillor Antariksh, and students Loni, Sourya, and Manikant, have been on a hunger strike for 12 days. Others have joined at staggered intervals, while several, including JNUSU Vice-President Manisha, have withdrawn due to deteriorating health.In the open letter released today, Tuesday, July 8, the protesting students appealed to JNU faculty to show solidarity by joining the strike, even for a day. 

“Your participation will uplift the spirits of the students and show that this struggle belongs to the entire JNU community,” the letter stated.

The students argue that the scrapping of the JNUEE and its replacement with a National Eligibility Test (NET)-based system has eroded the inclusive and interdisciplinary character of the university, especially after the removal of deprivation points that benefitted marginalised applicants.

So far, there has been no official response from the JNU administration regarding the demands.