JNU teachers’ body condemns ‘hasty decisions’ of varsity body
JNU has decided to set up a medical school. However, members of JNUTA said the proposal to establish a medical school was also passed by falsifying the minutes of the EC meeting
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) on Thursday condemned the university administration for “eroding the autonomy of statutory bodies” and “taking hasty decisions” during the last executive council (EC) meeting, in particular the decisions to set up a medical school and to continue with the current security agency despite the January 5 attack on students on campus.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the teachers’ body said, “The undue haste with which during the course of the 296th EC meeting, decisions confirming the appointment of 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, points to an attempt to proxy control the bodies even after the V-C’s term is over.”
JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar could not be contacted as calls and a text message sent to him remained unanswered.
JNUTA said no criterion or rationale was provided for the appointments that were made and neither was any substantial discussion allowed during the meeting. JNUTA officer bearers also said EC members were not apprised about the relevant court decisions on matters pertaining to appointments.
The teacher’s body said the proposal to establish a medical school was also passed by falsifying the minutes of the EC meeting.
JNUTA said while a point on the agenda of the EC meeting specifically sought approval for the cancellation of a previous EC resolution (dated 17.8.1998) concerning the establishment of BC Roy Super Specialty Hospital and Medical Centre on the JNU Campus, in the minutes that were later brought out, a further decision was added which sought to approve the transfer of the “land earmarked for the proposed medical school” to the School of Engineering and Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship.
“JNUTA strongly condemns the devious manner in which earmarked land approved for one project 23 years ago is sought to be transferred to another through a false recording of the minutes,” the teacher’s body said.
The body also expressed its disapproval over the renewal of contract with the current security agency in light of the January 5 attack on campus. They said the contract was renewed despite the agency’s failure to prevent incidents of violence and burglaries on campus.
Meanwhile, the JNU students’ union on Thursday continued with its indefinite protest outside the dean of students’ office for the fourth consecutive day. Protesting students are demanding that the dean approves the phase-wise return of students to campus, commencement of hostel allotment to first-year students and the batch of 2020, along with issuance of ID cards, among others.