Responding to communications by at least three School Deans at JNU regarding the conduct of end-semester examinations from Wednesday onwards by alternative methods, such as sending answer scripts over by email or scanning answer scripts and sending images via WhatsApp, the JNUTA said that it cannot participate in the “farcical and illegal” exercise.
The teachers’ body said: “Deans of Schools have no power under the statutory provisions to direct Centres or individual faculty to conduct examinations through such an alternative system...” and that examinations and evaluation are governed by the Ordinances of the University which in turn “derive their legitimacy from the Statutes. Doing what is being prescribed by the Deans would be in violation of these Ordinances and therefore illegal”.
It added that conducting examinations in the prescribed way would make a complete mockery of our commitment to maintaining high academic standards.
The teachers said the academic requirements of the semester can be completed in a proper manner, provided the JNU administration instead of indulging in such antics, focuses on immediately creating a conducive environment by addressing the concerns of students.
The JNUSU said that its V-C was resorting to “farcical measures” to conduct examinations as the examination boycott call by the students was unanimous. “Asking for handwritten or digital answer scripts to teachers personally, by mail or even WhatsApp is ludicrous and the teachers who are following it want to convert JNU to a WhatsApp university,” the JNUSU said.
The JNUSU condemned the circular of the university administration directing former SIS Councillor and Shashikant Tripathy to be placed under academic suspension and evicted from the hostel.
