The Ministry of Education has requested a written explanation from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit for her absence from an important meeting of central university heads, according to sources cited by PTI.

Officials pointed out that Pandit skipped the Vice-Chancellors’ conference without seeking prior approval from the ministry, which has treated the matter with seriousness.

So far, there has been no official statement from the JNU vice-chancellor regarding the issue.

“Her absence was viewed seriously. In such circumstances, vice-chancellors are required to take prior approval. There was a conference at JNU coinciding with the Vice-Chancellors’ conference. But it should have been kept in mind that the invite for this conference was extended much in advance," a source told News 18. 

The ministry’s conference was held in Kevadia, Gujarat, on July 10-11, while JNU hosted its own three-day event on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) from July 10 to 12, inaugurated by former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

However, the ministry's communication highlighted that the scheduling overlap had been acknowledged in advance, and it was still anticipated that Pandit would be present at the central event at least on its second day.

The two-day Vice-Chancellors’ conference, organised by the ministry, was part of a series of events marking five years since the launch of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The gathering brought together central university leaders to evaluate institutional progress and collectively plan future directions.

Major sessions at the conference addressed the alignment of central universities with the upcoming goals of NEP, encouraged dialogue on innovation and institutional challenges, and aimed at preparing universities for upcoming policy developments, regulatory changes, and the shifting global academic environment leading up to 2047.