Restart classes, students must be prepared to write their exams, JNU admin tells teachers

Despite the ongoing #FeesMustFall protest, the JNU admin has now asked the teachers to restart lectures and other academic activities. A circular issued by the university's registrar on Friday also reminds the students that they must be prepared to write the semester exams that will begin on December 12.

"It is important to ensure that students fulfil all their academic requirements to be eligible to write the end semester exams which are scheduled to start on December 12, 2019," reads the circular. Responding to this, the teachers said that they were always ready to conduct lectures. "The teachers are not on a strike. We were always ready to take the classes," says D K Lobiyal, President, JNUTA. "There will be no compromise on academics," he adds.

But what could bring the students back to class? Lobiyal says, "Only the complete fee hike rollback could bring the students back to class. This should be done through a proper mechanism. There should be no compromise." A committee constituted by the MHRD had previously suggested a complete rollback of the fee hike in the university. "Once the MHRD report is made public and there is an assurance about the rollback, the students will automatically come to class," Lobiyal adds.

"The administration doesn't understand our demand and they are only scaring the students. This isn't representing the democratic system. The students are fighting for education, but the administration wants students to be out of the university," says Satish Yadav, General Secretary, JNUSU. "Classes haven't been going on here for a very long time. In this scenario, most students will fail and that's exactly what the administration wants," he adds, demanding that the administration postpone the examination. "We want compensatory classes and the examinations must be held after that," says Satish.