New Delhi, November 12: Mass protest against the “anti-student” policies of the administration has been staged by the students of India’s leading university, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The agitation is against the draft hostel manual’s fee hike, dress code, etc., along with restrictions by the administration on entry to the Parthasarathy Rocks, attempts to lock students’ union office. These issues have irked the Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union (JNUSU).
Hostel, mess and security fees have been raised by JNU by a reported 400 per cent.
In the meantime, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ have addressed the third convocation of the University.
News agency PTI has reported that students wanted to march towards the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) but the gates were barricaded because that was the place where Vice President Venkaiah Naidu was addressing convocation.
“The fee hike will affect an overwhelming number of students. It denies those from the deprived sections to avail education if they cannot pay,” JNUSU said in a statement.
University released draft of new hostel manual in October
The draft of the new hostel manual was released in October by JNU inter hall administration. Protests were sparked by the students’ union due to new “impositions” and contentious policies such as five days prior permission for holding meetings, deadline or ‘curfew timing’ of 11 pm for students to return to hostels.
VC unavailable for discussing issue
Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar has turned down repeated requests to meet and discuss the issue, claims the union.
In October, allegedly an ambulance was blocked and by a few students, who stopped doctors from meeting an ailing professor on campus. Following this, authorities had threatened to take “severe action” against them. JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar condemned the incident and posted on Twitter, “The university administration is contemplating on a severe action against some JNU students whose conduct today has been not only unbecoming, but dangerous and shameful. This kind of behaviour by a section of JNU students is highly condemnable and outrageous.”