Amid widespread protest and boycott by students, JNU VC says exams will be held as per schedule

JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said on Thursday the exams would be happening as per schedule even as students boycotted it in protest over the hostel fee hike.

Kumar said the varsity administration was open for dialogue and interests of bona-fide students was a top priority.

"The university is committed to help the bona fide students who wish to write their exams and complete their academic requirements. The interests of bona fide students is a top priority to the university," he said.

The varsity had a meeting with the office bearers of International Students' Association of JNU who had shared the problems being faced by them as their visa validity is going to expire.

They were assured that their situation would be looked into. "In order to facilitate evaluation of their courses, it's only appropriate that an alternative evaluation process needs to be adopted," the varsity had said on Wednesday For example, additional assignments/sessionals/term papers may be given to them in lieu of term-end semester examinations, the varsity had said.

Kumar said the university had always encouraged dialogue and discussion and would continue to do it. "The meeting with the office bearers of International Students' Association of JNU," he said.

On being asked whether the varsity would hold a dialogue with the protesting students, he said that "any student is welcome for a dialogue with JNU administration".

The students' decision to boycott the examinations was finalised after the second day of attempted 'peace talks' between the students and the administration, mediated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, fell flat on its face.