JNU on recruitment spree with women at forefront, appointed ST faculty first time ever: VC Santishree Dhulipud

NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit on Tuesday said the varsity is committed to filling up academic positions fast especially in the reserved categories and has already appointed several women in leading administrative positions. She said that out of 48 chairpersons across schools, at least 14 centres have women at helm.

"Since the last one year, JNU has been continuously filling up the vacant posts, recruiting teachers in record numbers in the shortest period of time. In the last 19 months, 23 female candidates have been recruited and the number could go up as the appointments are still going on," the JNU VC said. She said the university recently got its first female Central Vigilance Officer. "Out of a total of 48 Chairpersons across schools, at least 14 Centres have female Chairpersons."

ALSO READ| JNU: Academic funds cut by 58%, admissions in ‘chaos’, promotions stalled, teachers allege

The JNU also claimed to have appointed professors in the ST category for the very first time in its history in a post on X. The VC said that the university is committed to filling up academic positions especially in the reserved categories which were "lying vacant for years." "Keeping up its inclusivist tradition, JNU is committed to filling up academic positions especially in the reserved categories which were lying vacant for years. "Faculty promotions have been a top priority which are ongoing and women clearly are beneficiaries here as they have recently acquired top positions like JNU's Director (Research and Development) and President (Internal Complaints Committee)," she said.

According to the university, a total of 331 faculty positions have been advertised, including 128 reserved positions, and about 186 Selection Committees have been conducted. "The highest number of 108 promotions through CAS in JNU history has been done in the last 19 months and is still going on in mission mode. The recruitment of 388 non-teaching positions are going to be filled through NTA exams. This is also highest as well," the JNU administration said on X.

ALSO READ| JNU teachers' association flags decline in proportion of women students in university

Earlier, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) had released a "state of the university" report and alleged that several promotions of faculty have been "arbitrarily kept pending." "Flouting of statutory norms and undermining of the role of centres in the faculty recruitment process has become routine and several candidates have been denied a fair opportunity. "Reservations in recruitment are also not being implemented properly with disproportionately large number of vacancies where no selection is made being ones where they are reserved," the JNUTA alleged.