Students reject JNU panel’s 50% concession

JNUSU says the committee is an ‘outrageous fraud’ by an ‘incompetent V-C’

November 27, 2019 12:45 am | Updated 12:45 am IST - NEW DELHI

NEW DELHI, 13/11/2019: JNU Students Union protest outside the admin building even as the Executive Council meeting is underway in side in VC office at the campus in New Delhi.  Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma / The Hindu

NEW DELHI, 13/11/2019: JNU Students Union protest outside the admin building even as the Executive Council meeting is underway in side in VC office at the campus in New Delhi. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma / The Hindu

The seven member high-level committee set up by the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration to discuss the revised hostel manual and fee has recommended that the utility and service charges of ₹2,000 per month be brought down to ₹1,000 per month for all students.

“The panel considered the feedback of student representatives, submitted to the Dean of Students’ Office through emails. The committee has made significant recommendations that will benefit all students,” the committee said in a circular.

“The committee has also recommended 75% reduction in utility and service charges for all eligible Below Poverty Line students... they will be charged ₹500 per month instead of ₹2,000 per month,” Registrar Pramod Kumar said.

The panel has recommended that the new rates be brought in from January 2020. The hike in room rent from ₹10/month to ₹300/month for a double seater; and from ₹20/month to ₹600/month for a single seater remains unchanged.

“It is expected that 75% concession in utility and service charges to eligible BPL category students and 50% concessions to the rest will go down well with the student community and stakeholders,” the circular read.

‘Ludicrous steps’

Reacting to the circular, the JNUSU said: “The JNU administration never tires from taking ludicrous steps and insulting the student community through its circulars and press releases. The circular by committee, established by the self-styled ‘competent authority’, is another outrageous fraud by this incompetent Vice-Chancellor. In its deluded estimation, what it thinks is a concession on fee hike is a document unacceptable in its entirety.”

The students alleged that the functioning of the university has now become a farcical game of tweets, Facebook posts, videos and press releases, while statutory bodies like the Inter-Hall Administration, Executive Council and other deliberative structures have been completely bypassed.

“If [recommendation of the panel] is accepted, this would set a precedent where any high-level committee can be formed in the future to take any arbitrary steps without the need to call any meeting of the consultative bodies,” the students said.

The JNUSU reiterated its stand that the entire hostel manual be rejected and new deliberations take place with inclusion of all stakeholders.

The circular from the administration went on to say that the strike by the students had caused enormous academic loss and that shutdown of administrative services due to occupation of the Administration Block had compounded the woes of the JNU community.

“Further continuation of lockdown of schools would be an unacceptable national loss. The administration appeals to the agitating students to end their strike with immediate effect in the academic interest of their fellow students. JNU’s image has already taken a beating and normalcy must return at the earliest,” it read.

The committee was formed on Sunday morning by a “competent authority” of the university and students were given time till 5.30 p.m. on that day to send their suggestions.

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