Today, Wednesday, August 7, students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi boycotted classes in response to a call for a campus strike to protest numerous unmet demands.
The protesting students raised slogans, held a rally on campus and went to classes to seek support, reports PTI.
The JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) called for the walkout to protest the university administration's alleged lack of attention to their Charter of Demands, which they submitted to Vice-Chancellor Santishree Pandit in April this year, according to a statement.
Demands included increasing the amount of the Merit-cum-Means (MCM) scholarship to at least Rs 5,000 and expanding its scope to BTech students, prompt renovation and reopening of Barak Hostel, which has not been operating since its inauguration in February. The hostel's foundation stone was set in 2017.
The Charter of Demands further calls for the revocation of the Chief Proctor Office (CPO) manual, the reinstatement of the gender sensitisation committee against sexual harassment (GSCASH), and the withdrawal of proctorial investigations into students protesting for water and gender justice issues.
The CPO manual, which was officially notified by the varsity last year, levies a penalty of Rs 20,000 for protesting in prohibited areas of the campus and engaging in any form of indiscipline.
"The JNUSU called for a university strike today after repeatedly trying to meet the VC on the Charter of Demands submitted by JNUSU in April," JNUSU said.
