In a step toward gender-neutral language, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has decided to replace the Hindi term “Kulpati”, traditionally used for Vice-Chancellors (VCs), with “Kulguru”, a word that signifies “teacher” and reflects the ancient Indian teacher-disciple tradition, as per a report by News18.
The proposal was made by JNU Vice-Chancellor Prof Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit during a recent university working council meeting and marks a shift in how leadership is represented in one of India’s top universities.
This is not the first time Prof Pandit has advocated for inclusive titles. In 2022, she had publicly stated the need for gender-neutral official designations to avoid future controversies.
“When I joined this university, everyone used ‘he’ instead of ‘she’, even on official documents. I’ve since made sure that it’s changed to ‘she’ wherever applicable,” she had said at the time. She also backed the demand to replace “Kulpati” with “Kulguru”, which she has now formally proposed.
The move aligns JNU with a broader national trend.
In February 2025, the Rajasthan government passed the Rajasthan Universities’ Laws (Amendment) Bill, replacing “Kulpati” and “Pratikulpati” (Pro-Vice Chancellor) with “Kulguru” and “Pratikulguru” across all state university acts written in Hindi. The bill, passed in March, stated that the new terms better reflect the dual executive and academic role of Vice-Chancellors while grounding the title in cultural tradition.
Similarly, in July 2024, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved the adoption of the term “Kulguru”, emphasising its connotation of “affinity, affection, and respect”, added News18.
While some have praised the linguistic and cultural sensitivity of the change, others have pointed out the need to ensure such reforms are accompanied by broader efforts toward equity and inclusion in university spaces.
With this shift, JNU becomes the first central university to formally propose the term “Kulguru”, potentially setting a precedent for other central institutions to reconsider traditional nomenclature in favour of more inclusive and culturally resonant alternatives.
