The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) on Friday raised a few issues that it wanted to be discussed in the Executive Council (EC) meeting to ensure that the decision-making body was not “misled” by the administration.
In a letter to JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar, the association demanded inclusion of items such as ‘intake and admissions’, ‘revised M.Phil. and Ph.D ordinances’ and ‘composition of Selection Committees’ in the agenda for the EC meeting, which is likely to be held on June 30.
“We request you to place the agenda items for discussion before the EC, as it appears to us that the EC has been grievously misled by your administration on a number of counts and has led the EC to commit mistakes,” JNUTA president Ayesha Kidwai said in a release.
As part of the ‘intake and admissions’ agenda, JNUTA said that the vice-chancellor had arrogated to himself the power to determine the intake for each centre and the admission policy of the university.
“The (revised) intake figures have never been approved by the Academic Council (AC). The EC has no power to grant approval to any decision pertaining to these aspects, unless it has already been approved by the AC,” JNUTA said.
In a letter to Rector Chintamani Mahapatra, JNUTA alleged that the V-C’s power to nominate a professor to Viva Voce Committee within the centre or from outside, instead of recommending a candidate from reserved categories, flouted the norms.
“This is completely unacceptable as it has the utmost of potential for vitiation of the functioning of the committee as the V-C’s nominee is likely to be completely unacquainted with the discipline/area of the subject of the Centre,” Ms. Kidwai said in a statement.
The existing practice of including reserved members of the centre faculty must be retained, she added.
The proposal to audio-record viva-voce exams of candidates was also rejected by the JNUTA.
