The student unions of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) are staging a strike today, October 11, demanding the administration to conduct the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) polls as soon as possible. The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) unit of the varsity said that around 800 to 1,000 students are participating in the strike at different schools.
JNU NSUI unit President Sudhanshu Shekhar told EdexLive, "The whole university is participating in the strike and most of the classes are suspended. Almost all the students are taking part in the strike at different schools and making it a success." To recall, there was a University General Body Meeting held in September and the conclusion was to conduct polls as soon as possible, claims the NSUI president.
"However, since there has been no response, we submitted a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit a week ago. But to no avail. Therefore, we are staging a one-day protest today and are hopeful that we will hear back from the administration," he said.
When asked about an official intimation that the polls may be held in January 2024, Shekhar questions, "Where is the official written notice?" Further, alleging that the university is intentionally delaying the PhD admissions and citing this as a reason for the delay in polls, Shekhar recalled, "In 2022, a notice was issued saying polls will be held after the PhD admissions. But after the admission, there was another notice saying polls would not be held as the admissions were delayed."
Officials word
On October 5, a senior official from JNU informed that the JNUSU elections are likely to be held by January 2024. "We may hold the JNUSU elections by January. The process for the elections will be initiated after the conclusion of PhD admissions for the new academic session and the scholars arrive on campus. Jawaharlal Nehru University is a research university and we don't our scholars' representation to be missed during the elections," the official said.
Also, on September 30, a university official, as per ANI, said, "Jawaharlal Nehru University is in favour of student body elections. But in the last election of 2019, JNUSU was not notified by the administration due to alleged non-compliance with the Lyngdoh Committee. So then elected representatives went to court, and the matter is still sub-judice,"
Plan B
Although the NSUI seems hopeful that there will be a response from the administration after the successful strike, what if there isn't any? Shekhar said, "As of now, there are no plans. Maybe the JNUSU 2019 representatives will take a call."
