JNU students hold strike demanding gender justice, inclusion of JNUSU in student matters

NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) began the university strike on campus at 11 AM today majorly demanding justice for complainant in sexual harassment case and inclusion of students’ body in all student meetings. The union along with others asked students to gather at SL-SIS lawns.

JNUSU had warned the university vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit of complete strike if she failed to address the student concerns. The student union alleged that VC refused to meet them for a discussion on ‘Charter of Demands’.

Coming in support of JNUSU, the All India Students’ Union has joined the strike. The students’ organisation shared some pictures of the university campus on social media wherein the classrooms and hallways can be seen empty. “Poora JNU band hai,” said AISA while sharing the pictures in an Instagram post.

The demands of JNU students’ body also include reinstating JNUEE exam for UG, PG admissions instead of Common University Entrance Test (CUET) as well as for PhD admissions. The University Grants Commission recently allowed admission to PhD programmes through the National Eligibility Test. For PhD, it urged the implementation of Nafey committee recommendations to reduce viva weightage.

Alleging failure of Internal Complaints Commitee (ICC) to ensure justice, JNUSU demanded its replacement with the Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH). Further demands included opening of the Barak Hostel, streamlining the fellowship claim process, ensuring accessible campus for disabled students, restarting union fee, and addressing infrastructure maintenance and hostel allotment issues.