A group of former faculty members of the Centre for Historical Studies (CHS) at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have written to the vice-chancellor, expressing disappointment over the displacement of the CHS library.
The letter was drafted on Sunday, August 6, by 16 former faculty members from the CHS department, including renowned historians like Romila Thapar, Harbans Mukhia and KN Panikkar.
“We, the former faculty of the Centre for Historical Studies, are shocked to hear that the CHS library building is being taken over by the administration on the grounds of the need for space for new centres that are being established within the university. Since the grant for the building of the CHS library was received expressly for this purpose from the UGC, it is quite disturbing to hear that the building is sought to be put to alternate use after several decades of its existence,” the letter read.
What does the letter say?
The former faculty members from JNU stressed that the CHS library was developed with public funds received from the University Grants Commission (UGC) aiming at developing the research and teaching at the centre.
It even mentioned that few of the CHS faculty members gave up their own promotion avenues by choosing to build the library rather than receive more posts.
“The CHS library now houses a repository that was carefully built by the faculty over decades keeping in mind the research and teaching needs of the Centre. The library has proved to be of immense value for students at the post-graduate and research levels… In fact, following the CHS example other centres have also set up departmental libraries in the university,” the letter stated.
They further expressed that the library’s relocation and dispersal would essentially destroy this “fine institution which was funded specifically for the purpose.”
It added that the decision was taken by the JNU administration without consultation with CHS faculty and should be reconsidered and reversed.
Background
The JNU administration’s decision to displace the CHS library has been receiving massive backlash from the students, alumni and other academicians.
The students started a resistance on campus on August 2 against its alleged closure or displacement, when a board for the Special Centre for Tamil Studies was put up outside the CHS library.
On Friday, August 4, the university administration issued a circular clarifying that the CHS library is only being relocated to the adjacent library building and the decision has been passed by the Executive Committee unanimously.
"The proposed arrangement would not only facilitate the activities of one of the important Indian Languages but also ensure prudent use of space on the campus without affecting the academic activities of CHS or any other Centre,” the circular said.
However, the students have shown concerns stating that relocation of a library with huge academic and historical importance might lead to the loss of important documents.
The library is reportedly being displaced to set up a “Centre for Tamil Studies” for which, the university received a grant of Rs 5 crore from the Tamil Nadu government. The students have also questioned where this fund is being used if not for the construction of another library, as intended.
