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MHRD issues a statement on JNU protests, offers mediation between stakeholders

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The Jawaharlal Nehru University has been, for the past 50 days, since the controversial release of the Inter-House Manual on 28th October. But it all seemed to be over on December 13th, when the Ministry of Human Resource Development released a mediating statement based on talks between JNU Administration, JNUSU and MHRD. However, are all the stakeholder’s satisfied? Read further to find out.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development after a series of talks with the JNU Administration and the JNU Students’ Union put forward the aforementioned statement. In the statement, the MHRD states that the fee of a single occupant room and the double occupant room remain Rs.300 and Rs.600 respectively. While the BPL or Below Poverty Line students will get a concession of 50% on the fee. All of the costs of utilities and services shall be borne by the University Grant’s Commission or UGC. The MHRD has also directed the administration to adhere by the Delhi High Court’s orders and therefore notify JNUSU. Furthermore, the statement has requested the Academic Council to give the students relaxation of two weeks to compensate for the loss of the academic period. In addition to this, the MHRD has directed the JNU Administration to take a ‘Lenient View’ on the incidents that have occurred since October 2019. Lastly, via this statement, the JNUSU has been directed to stop all kinds of dharnas around the administrative, academic blocks and in the residential areas of the varsity staff. The MHRD has urged both the JNUSU and JNU Administration to take immediate steps for the restoration of the normal functioning of the university. It has also been directed that any further issue shall be resolved only via dialogue as per university statutes.

Talking to us, Musaib Ul Haq, the JNUSU hostel prefect, says, “JNUSU has from the beginning of this protest demanded a full rollback and therefore we reject anything which is short of that. Most of our demands have not been met and apart from that, we demanded the taking back of all the cases against agitating students. However, the statements only use the word ‘lenient action towards the protesting students’ which is why we have maintained that the language used in the notice is just unacceptable. Our slogan for these protests is ‘Complete rollback and not an inch back’ therefore for us the talks are still on and nothing is decided yet. Our movement is still on and it will continue, there is no call back of these protests as of now. Apart from this, there was a meeting with the JNU Administration just yesterday wherein all the senior admin members like the Dean of Students were present. But, as of now the movement has not finished and is still continuing.”

Even though the stakeholders in this issue still do not find themselves on the same page but what has become better is that a deadlock has been broken and the JNUSU and JNU Administration have now started a dialogue. As one of the main issues of the protests since its inception is the lack of communication between the students and the administration. Thus, the solution to this problem now seems to be feasible.

 

Featured Image Credits- ANI

 

Aniket Singh Chauhan

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The JNU Fee Hike Crisis and the Creation of Multiple Realities

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Time and again, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has come under the scrutiny of the masses. Right from media trials of the issues happening at the campus to the raising concerns about events taking place in the country, here is an extensive and expansive, multi-dimensional lens from a student studying at the University about the latest protests regarding the proposed fee-hike, taking place at JNU.

I am a student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Throughout the University’s turbulent history with opinions and ideas concentrated in political sphere with controversies emerging out of them, one fact remains constant.

Consistently ranked among the top universities in India and world, JNU has claimed its much deserved place in the academic arena. Rather than acknowledging my university as one of the best in the world, it is more often than not seen as a political ground; dominated by the left ideology. So for obvious reasons, any issue that originates here is put under the veil of political spirit.

On the 28th of November, the Inter Hall Administration called a meeting in which the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) was informed 15 minutes prior to it, via e-mail. Till the time the JNUSU and other students could make it, the hostel manual was passed.

Fast forward today, it’s almost been a month with students here, protesting against the draconian fee structure. I lay out some vital points for your better understanding of the ongoing strike and the triggering force behind it:

  • More than 40% of the students of JNU comprise of the students coming from humble backgrounds where their family income does not exceed more than INR 12000 a month. If the fee hike is to happen for real, they (40%) would be immediately wiped off the face of JNU.
  • JNU, by its very nature, has been known to out loud criticise the government and point out the fallacies that exist in the system. A hub for left wing ideas, as it is seen, it sure is to develop resistance from the right wing and its supporters. Hence, a political inclination is assigned here to a non-political protest.
  • The mainstream media, which is followed by the majority of the general public, has grown to become unreliable and is known to shift its ground; driven by politics, has been manipulating facts and showing them in a different and distorted light. However, there are a few media houses who put out straight facts before the public and show the actual situation of what’s happening in here. Many students who take admission here were of the same opinion before living in the campus and knowing the nature of the university. It’s simple: people will believe what is fed to them.
  • In JNU, the population of female students is greater than the male students. This promotes girl education and female literacy in a country like India, where patriarchy is still prevalent and people here come from the remotest of areas, breaking the shackles. This shows how the university attracts students from all over India, not from a particular section.
  • From the child of a tailor to the child of an IPS to even entrepreneurs, there is diversity in its true sense in our campus. We all sit down together as a community where it doesn’t matter what backgrounds we come from. Here, we are all equal.
  • Take the very basic example of our campus not having popular eateries like CCD, Subway, much like other colleges. This is because it creates a divide. People who can afford will visit these eateries, while people who can’t, simply won’t. To avoid any kind of divide where people lose their sense of equality is the primary reason our campus does not have fancy eateries. Everything on here is planned. This shows how the university has maintained its idea for years and how the new fee structure will shake the very basis of it.
  • Student activists and speakers here question the monetary privilege those in power get to ‘enjoy’. The construction of two hostels was underway which now is unheard of. It all boils down to one question: Where did the money go? The VC, this shows, is incompetent and JNU refuses to accept his idiosyncratic behaviour and asks for his immediate resignation. All the questioning that happens around here is the evident of how JNU is the center of all the intellectually stimulating debates and ideas that refuse to remain latent. How students here are to stay, exercise their rights, hold on to each other, collecting their existence into a string of unbreakable unity that fears no higher force.
  • The new Hostel Manual, that talked about curfew timings and Dress Code agitated the students all over the University. As people here come from all over India, coming from places we haven’t heard of, they’ve grown up in quite conservative environments with them not being allowed to step out of their houses at night and being expected to maintain a ‘decent’ dress code, JNU must have felt a better form of liberation. Here, we can roam around our massive campus at any given time safely, to any nook and corner. Students here wear whatever they want to because there are no confinements. One of the very few universities that allows girls to enter in the boys’ hostel. The new set of rules indeed contributed to the patriarchal culture. Though these set of regulations have been scraped, students demand a complete rollback on the fee hike, to this date.
  • The biggest myth about the ongoing protest is that the fee hike is from ?10 to ?300. Sorry to burst your bubble, but we already pay around INR 3000 a month as our mess bills. That will shoot up to around INR 7000 a month. It will include service charges, electricity and water bill, increment in admission fees, utility charges. JNU, after the fee hike, would be the most expensive central university in India. Affordable education? What’s that, again?
  • A partial rollback had happened a few days ago, which the students had out-rightly rejected, terming it a ‘lie’. A complete rollback is what the student community is fighting for, and will continue to do so.
  • JNU, known for its poster making culture, has always been very open to the idea of expressing agitation, emotions and opinions by penning them down on paper, colouring their views across the walls and exhibiting them for the world to see. The Freedom Square, which is the main administrative building, was taken by the students on one of the protesting days, which they painted the whole building in, making sure that their voices be heard, loud and clear.
  • The protests, as the general public knows, is not always about the ‘shows’ that attract news channels and media houses, with JNU again being the headline of the national mainstream media. No media house would show how peaceful our protests are, with students singing songs of revolution over a cup of chai and debates. Almost every alternate day, different centres of JNU organise this programme, that goes by the name ‘Guerrilla Dhaba’. Besides, every hostel organises their own cultural programme that includes students performing and discussing the implications and consequences of the new fee structure, and how it would affect their lives.
  • On the 17th of November 2019, students in huge numbers took to the streets of Delhi to march to the Parliament for their voices to be heard. A proper guideline was published a day before which clearly mentioned how to go about the march without disturbing and blocking the roads causing inconvenience to the public. The Police Forces, appointed in huge numbers, did not spare the peacefully protesting students and detained them in hundreds, laathi charging students so as to disperse them and break their unity. They even shut the three nearest metro stations so that they don’t escape, and no form of help is provided to them. In the process, many students got hurt who were not allowed medical help, too. Students who were detained mentioned how the police officers were treating them and particularly the female students. One word for this incident: shameful.
  • Seeing the critical conditions in the campus with academic activities being heavily hampered, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) forms a committee to listen to the concerns of the students. The meeting happens, we are promised a positive outcome soon. Fast forward a few days, nothing fruitful is gained out of the meeting. Administration, on the other hand, releases notices every other day appealing students to get back to classes and resume their academic work, retaining the normalcy of the campus. Students are in no mood to withdraw till they achieve what they are protesting for, day in and day out.
  • On the 25th of November, another notice is released that talks about slashing the fees (utility and service charges) for APL by 50% and BPL by 75% on the strong recommendation of the High Level Committee (HLC) set up by the administration. JNU Students’ Union and the others on University observing strike from Day 1, reject this revised fee structure wholly and completely. Not an inch back, as they say, students are hell bent on wanting their demands to be listened to. This move by administration is a ‘lollipop’ and a form of ‘bargain’, as students claim, and rightly so.
  • The inside story that majority of the people who comment on the JNU protests don’t know anything about: The meeting in which the new fee structure was passed, clearly cut the JNU Students’ Union out and failed to recognise the presence of the student body. Therefore, by this very nature, the meeting stands null and void.
  • JNU VC, has all the time in the world to spew venom against his own students on Twitter and news channels, but we haven’t heard from him now in a month. A VC who does not prefer dialogue with his own students is of no good. Hence, we are demanding his immediate stepping down from the post because he’s proven incompetent to run a university like JNU.
  • A fee hike has been observed in many colleges around the country, why only JNU is protesting, you ask? Think of the better question: Why is Education being sold as a commodity? Isn’t free education a right for all? Why are the students around the country okay with their fees being this high? Why are the students quiet, why are you quiet?

 

I’ve friends here who were laathi charged, and chased by the Delhi police in kilometres, on the day they were marching to the Parliament. They haven’t succumbed to the higher authoritarian wrath and still go out, participating passionately in all the protests. The enthusiasm to save their University from the evils of privatisation of education hasn’t been knocked down by ‘efforts’ of the Delhi Police and their cruel and disgusting tactics.

As JNU students say, you can lock them up and shut them down. But you can never shut out their ideas. The emotions of anger, agitation and pain that JNUites share with each other, I say no force is strong enough to bog them down.

I request you all to stop being so unfair to us and see beyond what is shown. Hear our story out. Save JNU, before it gets destroyed at the hands of the higher authoritarian body. I pity people who can’t see what gem of a university JNU truly is, where our ideas echoes out loud and that is what sets JNU apart from other universities.

Stand with JNU, because once it starts getting tarnished and eventually, destroyed, the nation will weep the death of an incredible university and it will be too late.

The author is a student, currently studying at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. A close observer of what is happening in, around and about the University, and the intense student politics at the Varsity, through this piece the authors tries to present various facts and issues of importance concern which need their due place in the public space. 

Feature Image Credits: Priyanshu Sinha for DU Beat

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Student Organisations Come Together to Support JNU Protests Against Fee Hike

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Students from different universities came together in support of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to protest against the fee hike. Read on to find out more.

On Thursday, 21st November 2019 students from Delhi University (DU), JNU, and Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) participated in a protest led by Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) against the hostel fee hike in JNU.

The protest consisted of a march commencing from Mandi House which continued till the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). The demands of the protestors included a complete rollback of the increased hostel fee hike amount, resumption of classes. Apart from this, they also demanded an end to the prevaricating attitude of MHRD with powerful slogans.

Sidharth Yadav, Secretary, ABVP Delhi, said, “We demand a complete rollback of the hiked hostel fee. Today’s protest has only served to fortify our fight for reversion to the earlier fee-structure. In principle, ABVP is against the ongoing series of fee hikes across several educational institutions and would request their respective administrations to refrain from such inexcusable conduct. We chose to organise a separate protest vis-a-vis JNU Students’ Union because of the latter’s unseemly actions wherein they desecrated the University space and damaged public property, in addition to undercutting the momentum and sullying the spirit of the ongoing movement. While they employ profitable victimhood to further their self-serving ends, we choose the openhanded and inclusive approach in our fight for justice.”

According to sources, around 160 people were arrested during the protest taking place at the Parliament street which included 3 handicapped student protestors. Students came in support of JNU in a huge number and didn’t care about the consequences. The protestors chanted slogans like “HRD Minister istifa do (HRD Minister, resign), Fee hike nahi sahenge” (we won’t tolerate fee hike) against the JNU administration and HRD ministry, who according to students is responsible behind this fee hike.

Durgesh Kumar, President, ABVP, JNU, said, “Left-oriented organisations, in an infelicitous act of misrepresentation, misappropriation and crass political expediency, have blunderingly acquiesced to the intervention of HRD Ministry’s High Powered Committee into the ongoing issue. We reject such interposition and push for the uncritical acceptance of all our demands.”

Apart from students, members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and ABVP were also detained after a quarrel between the protestors and the security personnel. The area had protection through triple layers of barricades and Delhi Police was on high alert. Students still managed to climb through the barricades out of rage and ignite a conflict with the security personnel which also involved Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

Manish Jangid, Secretary, ABVP, JNU, said, “While JNUSU has thrown in the towel, we continue to hold out. The manner in which the police authorities stymied our protest was undemocratic. We call for the HRD Minister to either unconditionally comply with our demands or resign forthwith.”

Akshit Dahiya, President, DUSU, said, “DUSU stands in opposition to this undue increase in JNU hostel fee. We stand in unison with all sincere protestors and request the government to put in place a discrete regulatory body to independently judge the necessity as well as delineate the quantum of any fee hikes in future. Our successes against similar fee-hikes in Delhi University is a testament to our commitment and our capability to take this fight to its logical end.”

 

Feature Image Credits: Ashutosh Singh for ABVP

Avni Dhawan

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JNU Moves Delhi HC Against The Protesting Students

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Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has moved the Delhi High Court (HC) against the protesting students for “gross violation” of the court’s previous order of August 2017 banning protests within 100 metres of the administrative block. 

The contempt plea has been filed by JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar, along with the University’s standing counsel Monika Arora against the protesting students for violation of the Court’s order of 2017 banning protests within 100 metres of the administrative block. As reported by news agency Indo-Asian News Service, the plea is filed against the Delhi Police, JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) President Aishe Ghose, General Secretary Satish Chandra Yadav, Vice President Saket Moon and former JNU student leaders N. Sai Balaji, Geeta Kumari, Sarika Choudhary, Apeksha Priyadarshani, Krishna Rao, among others.

The plea read, “The instant petition is being preferred by the university against the contemnors for gross and continuing violation of the order dated 09.08.2017…by protesting within 100 meters of the administrative block and the day-to-day administration of the petitioner University due to which the working of the university has come to a standstill.”

Two FIR’s have been registered against JNU students on Tuesday who clashed with the Delhi Police. The FIR’s have been registered at two different police stations against unidentified individuals. Over the past few weeks, severe protests have led to clashes with the police after they were barred from marching towards the Parliament as it reconvened for the winter session. Delhi Police set up barricades and closed down four metro stations around the Parliament. Students were allegedly lathi-charged which led to severe injuries to both police personnel and the students.

JNUSU on Tuesday said they are ready to undertake a march to the Parliament 10 times if their demands are not met. The resignation of JNU Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar has also been demanded. JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh quoted to The Hindustan Times, “Police had detained at least a hundred students including me, and Satish (General Secretary of JNUSU), just to make sure the high powered meeting with the secretary (MHRD) does not take place.” Followed by a press conference in the JNU Administrative block, she addressed, “We have made it clear in the meeting, that the agitation will stop only after all our demands are accepted, and if the VC has a problem with that then we demand his resignation…”

 

Students at JNU have been protesting against the fee hike and have conveyed their demands to the Ministry of Human Resource Development. One of which stated, the protesting students should not face any enquiry.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Anandi Sen
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JNUTA March Against Arbitrary Fee Hike  

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Following a press briefing by JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Student’s Union), teachers of the varsity marched around the campus to bestow solidarity with students who faced the wrath of police forces on Monday in light of their protest against the arbitrary fee hike.

 A day after several  Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students were thrashed, manhandled and jailed for protesting against the fee hike, the varsity’s teachers association marched past the campus in solidarity with the students. The protest on Monday was marred with intense scuffle between protesters and police forces. Around 100 students who were detained yesterday have been released. Several students suffered injuries after government deployed 2000 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to contain the protest.

As the march began at campus’s main gate, teachers of the varsity started raising slogans such as “Fee hike waapis lo” (Revoke the Fee Hike), “JNU VC Ko Jaana Hoga” (The Vice Chancellor must go), demanding for the Vice Chancellor’s resignation.

“We are standing with students from the very beginning. Fee hike should not take place otherwise underprivileged students will lose the opportunity to study. If public education system collapses than people like us talking here won’t be in a situation to raise voices”, said Professor D.K. Lobiyal who teaches in the School of Computer and System Sciences.

On the question of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) forming a three member committee to look after the fee hike issue he said,  “The committee is saying that (Vice Chancellor) VC should talk to the students. So, MHRD had to formulate a committee for getting the Vice Chancellor in touch with students? Why is the Vice Chancellor there for?” Demonstrating his displeasure he went on to to bring into light that if it requires MHRD to instigate a conversation with students then what’s the need of Vice Chancellor in a University. He added “MHRD has legitimised our claim that this VC is incapable of running JNU.”

NDTV Balaji

Media flocked in the campus to cover the protest. In picture: N. Sai Balaji (ex-JNUSU president) talking about the issue with NDTV. Image credits: Priyanshu Sinha for DU Beat

Various media organisations had flocked in to cover the event which was preceded by a press conference by the JNUSU. Reconciling his chilling encounter with police yesterday, Shashi Bhushan Pandey, a student union councillor said, “I told them (Police) that I am visually impaired, so that they would spare beating me. But No! One of them hit me from the front and when I tried to flee, I was beaten on my leg. The boy who helped me and took me to the hospital was also attacked by the Delhi Police.”

The brutality on Pandey, a visually challenged student got the University’s Visually Challenged Students Forum to issue a notice condemning Delhi Police’s action towards students taking part in peaceful march demanding accessible and affordable education for all.

JNUTA PROTEST

Teachers assembled near the main gate with placards in hand. Image credits: Priyanshu Sinha for DU Beat

Later on Tuesday, the JNU outfit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) issued a statement  that condemned the JNUSU and alleged that the left led student union of making the issue their agenda leaving behind rest of JNUites who oppose their ideology. The statement said that as the hike affects every JNU students, their should be a joint struggle committee consisting students from all ideological background. ABVP, who holds no political representation in University’s Student Union rejected the high power committee set up by MHRD and demanded JNU administration to reclaim the 6.7 Crore Rupees that University Grants Commission (UGC) had promised to waive off as additional fee charges.

The protest against exorbitant fee hike entered its 21st day on Tuesday. The exponential hike increased room rent from INR 10-20  to 300-600 per month. An additional service charge of INR 1700 will surge the fee to INR 2,000-2,300 per month. This hike would make Jawaharlal Nehru University the most expensive Central University in India, surpassing even Delhi University whose average annual fees is Rs 40,000-55,000 . After dissatisfaction on a partial rollback by University’s executive council, the Student Union went on with their protest which has already witnessed the participation of huge number of students, many even from outside the campus flocking everyday to stand with the students.

 

Priyanshu Sinha 

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Feature Image Credits : Priyanshu Sinha for DU Beat

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Students and Teachers March Against NEP’19 in Solidarity with JNU Students

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On 14th November, Students’ Union and Teachers’ Association from all central Universities in Delhi marched from Barakhamba Road to Jantar Mantar, and stood in solidarity with students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to protest against the New Education Policy (NEP).

14th November observed a central march at Jantar Mantar against the NEP. Student Political groups from Delhi like All India Students’ Association (AISA), CYSS, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) came together to protest against the NEP, and the fee hike in JNU. The protest was led by Federation of Central University Teachers Associations (FEDCUTA) which incorporates the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) and Jamia Millia Islamia’s Teacher Association (JMITA )under it. Students showed up at the protest in large numbers with banners, masks to combat the Delhi pollution, and immense grit and determination.

NEP has paved way for Privatisation of education. It has also resulted in the constant fee hikes observed by the Universities. Under NEP, a new mechanism of Higher Education Funding Authority (HEFA) will be established to not give grants but to lend loans. DUTA also fought for permanent absorption of the Ad-hocs to have stability in colleges.

Damini Kain, Presidential Candidate from AISA, said “Public Education is a fundamental right for all. But what the new education policy is doing is, its just making education exclusive. It is deliberately excluding people that come from marginalised communities, lower caste backgrounds and other minorities. NEP is breaking the core fabric of education. It will change the entire dynamic of lending and granting into loans. And the burden of repayment of those loans will lie on the common student.”

The March witnessed many keynote speakers to apprise the students about the consequences of this policy.

Doraisamy Raja, General Secretary, Communist party of India appreciated the students and teachers of JNU to protest against the tremendous hike. He shed light on the importance of education and the threat to its integrity. He also criticised the one language ideology of the current Government.

The common demand that each JNU student and teacher had was to meet with their Vice chancellor and roll back of the fee hike. More than 40% of the students studying at JNU are below poverty line and cannot afford the new fee structure.

Aishe Ghosh, President, JNUSU, said, “All these charges that weren’t existing before like utility charges of electricity, water, food, WIFI will be paid by students even after giving a hostel fees. We’ve come here with a motive to spread this protest to every college and university ad education is for all. All we would like is for our Vice Chancellor to have a discussion with us rather than appearing on Republic TV.”

After all speaker sessions, the March began, led by Federation of Central University Teachers Associations (FEDCUTA), followed by various student organisations. The Teacher-Student-Karamchari unity was an important focus of theMarch.

Slogans like “NEP down down”, “Privatisation se azadi”, “Modi govt Haye-Haye” were chanted. Posters with “Godi Media” talking about the fake media portrayal of press were also displayed, and the banners of Teacher associations of various colleges were also seen.

Among all of these issues, the students from School of Open Learning also came to bring to light the struggles they had face being trapped in the sudden imposition of Choice Based Credit System.

A SOL student, who wished to remain anonymous, told DU Beat, “We’re fighting against the autonomy of education, yet, correspondence where most of the students from lower background study is often ignored. We have exams in December, yet we haven’t been given any books or material. And the material given is so substandard it cannot be used. And the worse, even DUTA has completely ignored us.”

Feature Image Credit : Noihrit Gogoi for DU beat

Chhavi Bahmba

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JNU Protest Continues Despite Partial Rollback of Fee Hike

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The protest against hostel fee hike and draconian hostel rules in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has entered its second week.

On Wednesday, 13th November, the hostel fee hike was rolled back partially during the Executive Council (EC) meeting. The decision was announced through a tweet by R Subrahmanyam, Education Secretary, Government of India, which was later retweeted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

Screenshot_20191114-185810

According to the revised structure, the single room rent has been revised to Rs 200 per month, while the double bed rent has been revised to Rs 100 per month. The outrage surrounding the new manual emerged as the single room rent of Rs 20 per month was increased to Rs 600 per month whereas, double room rent was increased from Rs 10 per month to Rs 300 per month. However, the one-time mess security remains at Rs 5,500, the service charges remain at 1,700 per month along with the earlier utility charges. Moreover, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students would receive assistance.

The Executive Council (EC) is the supreme decision-making body of the Varsity, which also has representatives from the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA). The venue for the EC meeting was changed on Wednesday without prior information to the Students’ Union and the JNUTA. DK Lobiyal, JNUTA president quoted to PTI, “The meeting was supposed to be held at the Convention Centre inside the campus but when three EC members, professor Sachidanand Sinha, Moushumi Basu, and Baviskar Sharad Prahlad reached the venue, there was no meeting there.”

JNU students won’t call off the protest any time soon; if the draft manual is approved, it will be implemented soon. 14th November was observed as National Protest Day, wherein JNUTA along with DUTA, Federation of Central Universities’ Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) and several student bodies rallied to save public-funded education in India, from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar.

Among the discontentment against the administration, activist and former JNU student, Umar Khalid spoke to The Quint, “The government and the JNU Vice Chancellor, Jagadesh Kumar, is giving the matter another twist. First, they said that the economically weaker sections will be aided by the administration, later the administration has come out with a press release stating that Below Poverty Line (BPL) students will be given concessions in the fee structure.” He further questioned the Government and media’s stance in propagating lies.

JNUSU’s former President Sai Balaji acknowledged the curfew and dress codes withdrawal, and said, “The government has played a cruel joke on the marginalised sections of students today.”  The JNU administration contested that the Varsity has not increased the fee for the past 19 years, regarding which JNUSU demanded a discussion before the proposed hike. The protest for the same continues.

Featured Image Credits: Noihrit Gogoi for DU Beat

Anandi Sen

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Massive Protest Breaks Out in JNU over Fee Hike

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A massive protest broke out in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday over fees hike during the Varsity’s convocation ceremony, leading to clashes with the police.

On 11th November 2019, thousands of students from JNU clashed with the Delhi police after the protests over drastic fee hike escalated. The students were demanding the withdrawal of the draft hostel manual, which they claimed has provisions for fee hike, dress code, and curfew timings. They were planning to protest outside the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) premises where the varsity’s third convocation that was being addressed by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu was held. While Naidu left the venue after attending the convocation, the Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD), Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ was stuck due to the protest for over six hours.

The students were demanding the withdrawal of the draft hostel manual, in which service charges of INR 1,700 were introduced and the one-time mess security fee, which is refundable, has been hiked from INR 5,500 to INR 12,000. The rent for a single-seater room has been increased from INR 20 per month to 600 per month, while rent for a double-seater room has been increased to INR 300 per month from INR 1,000 per month. The draft hostel manual also has provisions for dress code and curfew timings, the Students’ Union alleged, even as the administration denied these two claims.

Over 600 police personnel were deployed to handle the protest organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU). Several blockades put up by the police were also broken by the protesting students, who started their march towards the AICTE around 11.30 a.m. Barricades were placed around the JNU Campus, as well as on the route between the AICTE auditorium and the University at Baba Balaknath Marg and nearby areas. As the protest escalated, students clashed with the Delhi police, leading to skirmishes. Water cannons were used to disperse the protestors and police claimed that students were detained. This intensified the protest, with the students shouting against the Delhi Police, as well as the Vice-Chancellor (VC).

As reported by the Times of India, the JNUSU office-bearers later met the HRD Minister who assured them that their demands would be looked into. But the VC still hasn’t met with the union. “The VC is destroying the varsity. We have made several attempts to meet him on campus, but there has been no fruitful result,” Aishe Ghosh, president of JNUSU.

The students claim that the decision to hike fees by 300 percent is exclusive of students from marginalised communities. The protest is also against other actions of the varsity, like restrictions by the administration on entry to the Parthasarathy Rocks – a hillock inside the campus, or attempts to lock Students’ Union office.

DU Beat spoke with a foreign student from JNU agitated against the administration who threw light on the condition of foreign students. The student revealed that the Science students of the Foreign Nationality category pay up to 1500$ which counts nearly INR 1 lakh per semester. The Arts students of the Foreign Nationality pay up to 1200$ per semester, which equates around INR 87,000. “Just because we are “foreign” category doesn’t mean everyone comes from well to-do families. Around 40 Tibetan students’ who passed the entrance exam, could not afford the fees. They couldn’t join. JNU has a good population of SAARC country students. The fee is particularly neck breaking for South Asian students who come from third world countries,” they said.

Image Caption: Posters elaborating on the fee hike crises were circulated among students' via whatsapp and social media. Image Credits: Unknown
Image Caption: Posters elaborating on the fee hike crises were circulated among students’ via whatsapp and social media.
Image Credits: Unknown
Image Caption: Posters elaborating on the fee hike crises were circulated among students' via whatsapp and social media. Image Credits: Unknown
Image Caption: Posters elaborating on the fee hike crises were circulated among students’ via whatsapp and social media.
Image Credits: Unknown

In these circumstance students’ raise pertinent questions like-“How is this affordable? And how does this hold to any foundational values of JNU?” while the responses remain bleak.

Around 15 to 20 students who were graduating were sitting inside the auditorium main gate in solidarity with the protestors. The JNUSU has said the strike would not end until the hostel manual is withdrawn.

Feature Image Credits: India Today

Shreya Juyal

[email protected]

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DU TO ENCLOSE NORTH CAMPUS FOR SAFETY AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION

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Culture preservation and safety has motivated the University of Delhi (DU) to convert the North Campus into an enclosed area to form a proper campus, much like the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) campus. The initiative will be completed within a year and was informed by the Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi at the executive council (EC) meeting on Saturday 26th October 2019. 

Currently, the proposal is in the contact phase where government agencies and departments are told to start the process, an official announcement hasn’t been made yet. 

The two-day meeting held on Saturday, was a platform for many issues to be discussed, the IOE proposal, construction of 39-storey building and the closing of North Campus. 

However, while these issues may seem independent, they are interconnected. If the EC’s proposal is accepted to enclose North Campus, the construction of the building will be deferred. And, IOE (Institute of Eminence) proposal would pave way for the closing of North Campus. 

EC member Rajesh Jha, said, “We have always demanded that the campus should be closed as we want DU to have a character of its own just like JNU and other varsities in the country. The closed campus will also help authorities improve the security on the varsity premises.”

North Campus is a hub of academics at the University of Delhi, with many colleges and departments within meters of each other, and so, it has always witnessed the greatest college student footfall. This raises some serious questions regarding the safety of the students, with recent developments in many violent cases taking place at North Campus. This concept will increase the safety of students manifold. However, it may subject them to false seclusion and isolation. The culture of campus may be gone when only students of those colleges could take part in it, and not all could witness it.

Interviewing students from all over the campus, DU Beat received many mixed responses.  Here’s what DU students have to say about this. 

Aditi Raj, Daulat Ram College, North Campus said “The idea seems far-fetched, I don’t know how they will manage to do it. The campus is full of roads that connect two parts of the city. And other universities like JNU, have a huge campus with all departments to enclose, where we are just calling few colleges and departments the entire university campus.” 

Satviki Sanjay, Miranda House, North Campus said, “I don’t think DU North Campus should be closed. To ‘maintain its culture’ sounds like a terrible reason as DU ‘culture’ is not just limited in the North Campus but also the other colleges. Closing it would just strengthen the already prevalent elitism in the North Campus. Moreover, there are logistical issues that need to be resolved. DU North Campus is not just educational institutions but an entire ecosystem of students, teachers, market places, transportation and all which make DU North Campus what it is and closing it would rather hamper the ‘culture’.” 

Akshat Arora, Motilal Nehru College, South Campus said, “I feel like restricting an area to a limited number of students will work against your intentions if you intend to preserve “cultures”.”

Whereas, A counter-opinion also existed among the DU students. Priyanshu Sinha, Delhi School of Journalism, North Campus believes, “When we step out of the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station to head towards our respective colleges, it feels more like going to an isolated corporate office than going to a University. Like JNU, Delhi University needs to have a closed campus.”

Many times the argument comes that DU is a collegiate like Oxford which is based in the Oxfordshire. But then we forget that Oxfordshire is completely established for Oxford University whereas Delhi is a diverse city having government offices, corporate buildings along with the University. It doesn’t feel like a University campus when cars flock all the time, outsiders who have nothing to do with the college or the education roam around in the campus. It also dilutes unity of the campus as a single entity. This step by the administration is very pleasant and we welcome it wholeheartedly.”

Pranavi Prabhakaran, Daulat Ram College, North Campus, told DU Beat, “North Campus is a truly important academic area. It’s only surprising that this move hadn’t been taken earlier. I hope it will be cleaner now.”

While different opinions surface in the University, many questions like whether the infamous Hudson Lane and Patel Chest Photocopy Lane be part of mainstream campus? Will the stalls and Chai corners that exist, still cease to exist? Will colleges provide parking spots to those who earlier parked outside?

To answer all these questions and many more, a formal official notification is awaited. 

Feature Image Credits: Dailymail

Chhavi Bahmba 

[email protected]

 

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JNU’s Computerised Entrance Exam Postponed

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Amid backlash, the administration of JNU has deferred the computer based entrance exam for the academic year 2019–20.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, has postponed it’s first ever computer based entrance exam for the academic session 2019-2020. The exam was originally scheduled for December 2018, however, in lieu of difficulties faced by examinees, the administration has decided to defer the examination. It was decided at the 148th Academic Council of the university that the examination will now be held in May 2018; the tentative date for the exam is yet to be announced.

JNU announced a shift to computer based entrance exams for MPhil and PhD admissions in September 2018. The Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar said that, “JNU is the first Central university to be collaborating with National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct its national-level entrance examination across the country”. The examination is to be conducted with the aid of private vendors for managing the examination centres.

The administration’s decision to conduct the exam electronically was scrutinized and opposed by the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and faculty members. JNUSU had termed the change in mode of entrance exam from descriptive to objective as a ‘scam’ and ‘unilaterally imposed by the Vice-Chancellor’

However, these claims have been refuted by the administration, and the decision has been finalised.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Wire

Nikita Bhatia

nikitab@dubeat.com

 

 

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