Refuting all allegations of M.Phil and Ph.D seat cuts, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Vice-Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar on Thursday stated that the implementation of UGC Gazette is meant to benefit the students. The adoption of UGC May 2016 Gazette Notification witnessed a stir from both the students and teachers associations.
The Vice-Chancellor said the students’ demands were unacceptable. “The students are adamant for removal of the complete gazette; they are not ready for a hale and hearty discussion,” he said. Earlier the students were seen expressing how the V-C is having an arbitrary decision and declined to discuss the issue with the University’s decision-making bodies.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA), earlier accused the V-C of violating two Parliamentary Acts and revealed how the UGC cannot be superior to the Parliament.
Defying the teachers’ claim of restricting supervisors, he added, “The ideal student-supervisor ratio is requisite on JNU. Guiding Ph.D students is not comparable to teach a room-full of graduate students.”
Focused to uplift the University’s fragile placement, the Vice-Chancellor said, “The good of the University is on my mind but what is needed is trust. If JNU degrades, that would be a huge loss to the country. We have also decided to build two new hostels in the campus.”
In the wake of the continual protest, he stated the students can protest but that should be calm. The blockade of administration block is affecting the function of University.
The announcement of the new admission policy was widely criticized by students. On that Kumar added, how the implementation is made for the beneficial of students; he claimed the UGC notification recommendations are meant to be bear in mind. “JNU holds a large number of students and it’s obvious if a handful of them differ on a view, protests rolling drums in the streets, but then slogan shouting is not a solution.”
The V-C believed, “The nature of the JNU should be dynamic. The University should freely think and develop. What should bother us now, is the disappearance of Najeeb.” What seems to be the good part is that the stir brought together varied opposition political parties.