JNU committee’s recommendations “contrary” to NEP 2020, say teachers

NEW DELHI: Teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, have alleged that the university committee’s recommendations on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 are “contrary to the framework of NEP” and “undermines” its objectives.

They also said that the recommendations were approved “without any major discussions” with the concerned teachers.

Teachers belonging to the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) also alleged that academic expenditure has gone down by more than 30% in the university since 2016 and under the current Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.

JNUTA, during a press conference, said that the committee recommendations for JNU were not in line with a research intensive university such as JNU.

“The NEP clearly envisions two kinds of universities – namely, teaching intensive and

Research intensive universities. The apex committee of JNU without appreciating the policy in proper perspective has recommended starting of several integrated teaching programs across centres and schools in the university which would result in conversion of the country’s premier research intensive university into a teaching intensive university,,” JNUTA said in a statement.

They said that the teaching faculty were not aware of the recommendations prior to the formal introduction of the apex body recommendations during an Academic Council meeting.

“No university wide consultations were held between the Apex Body and the various Centres and Schools. Lack of consultations also meant that the recommendations of the Apex Body came to be known to faculty only once they were formally placed at the 158th Academic Council meeting of August 17 and approved without any major discussions, “ said JNUTA.

Teachers also raised concerns about the plans to set up a medical school and super specialty hospital in JNU. They said that the university did not give any “explicit rationale” for setting up the medical school and hospital.

“The absence of any explicit rationale clearly laying out the reasons as to why such a structure ought to be located within JNU, given that the university is located in a green area that the authorities are legally bound to protect, makes it difficult to render unconditional support for such a project,” JNUTA said.

Teachers also said that academic expenditure has reduced by more than 30% from 2016-17. In the figures shared by JNUTA, the university has spent less than Rs 120 crores over four years on academic expenditure compared to Rs 137 crore spent over four years between 2013-14 and 2016-17.

Delhi University teachers have also raised similar concerns regarding the NEP 2020 recommendations by DU authorities. Three members of the DU Academic Council have alleged that the recommendations were framed without wide consultation.

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