JNU Executive Council okays initiating tendering for engaging robust security service

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University's Executive Council has approved initiating the tendering process to engage a "more robust and integrated" security service on the campus, said an official statement on Saturday.

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There had been a growing demand by the students and teachers to hire a new security agency in the aftermath of the January 5, 2020, violence in which at least 35 people were injured and last month's clashes between groups of students over allegedly serving of non-vegetarian food during Navratri.

The teachers' association had also flagged the issue of security on the campus in the wake of rising incidents of burglary in the houses of faculty members.

At the 300th meeting of the university's Executive Council, held on May 5, it approved waiving 70 per cent of the license fee for all JNU-allotted shops which were closed during the Covid lockdown, the university said in a statement.

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"The Council resolved to set up an International Affairs Office for internationalization of the university as envisaged in the NEP-2020 about joint degree/twinning programmes, opening of offshore campuses etc. "It also approved initiating the tendering process for engaging a more robust integrated security service in the university," the statement said.

The university's highest decision-making body also approved the Health Infrastructure and Services Review Committee's recommendations to streamline the health facilities for the benefit of students, faculty and staff members and retired personnel, it said. A decision was also taken to grant permission to the M.Phil/Ph.D. female scholars for maternity and child care leave up to 240 days.

The council approved sending the Draft Cadre Recruitment Rules of the Non-Teaching and Non-Vocational Staff of the University to the Education Ministry to initiate the process of filling over 700 vacancies, the statement added.