JNUTA accuses VC, varsity of appointing chairpersons, deans, experts with undue haste

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) alleged that the recent Executive Council meeting forced the decision of appointing Chairpersons, Deans, Associate Deans, Academic Council members and many more statutory and non-statutory officers without proper discussion and with "undue haste".

The JNUTA, in a recent statement, said that 13 Chairpersons, 4 Deans, 2 Associate Deans, 16 statutory and non-statutory officers, 25 members of the Academic Council, a large number of “experts” and changes in the composition of the Executive Council were passed" with undue haste and that this "points to an attempt to proxy control the bodies even after the VC's term is over". 

"No substantial discussion was allowed which is borne out by the absence of any recorded dissent against these matters in the minutes (of the meeting). No criterion or rationale was provided for the appointments made, nor was there any attempt to appraise the EC members of relevant court decisions on matters pertaining to the subject of appointments," said the JNUTA. "It is important to point out that while JNU has a faculty strength of 576, only 10 per cent of the faculty, a small coterie are given any sort of administrative responsibilities. Many among these are people handpicked and appointed during the tenure of the present Vice-Chancellor. This speaks volumes for the apparent ‘representative’ character of the present administration and the narrow base of support that it enjoys among the faculty," said the teachers.

The statement also said that plan to implement the National Education Policy in the university will be detrimental as it will "destroy the postgraduate research character of the university". The structure of the varsity has always been such that it encourages research and the changes suggested under the NEP will not help the ultimate aim to enhance educational infrastructure and make it available to all, said Dr Moushumi Basu, Secretary of the JNUTA.