JNUSU demands student representatives be called for academic council meeting

NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) in a letter addressing the vice-chancellor demanded that the JNUSU office bearers be called for the academic council (AC) meeting. The university has scheduled the JNU academic council meeting on September 12.

“As per the University Manual 7 (Particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with or representation by the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy of implementation [Section 4 (1)(b)(vii) Point 2], the Student representatives are to be invited to the meeting,” the students group said.

In the letter, JNUSU said that the Delhi High Court has in many previous orders directed the university to ensure student representations in the decision making process.

It further said, “In a meeting with the Dean of Students, we have also been informed that there will be discussion regarding the Academic Calendar. The discussion on Academic Calendar has direct implications for the JNUSU elections 2023-24. We demand that the JNUSU Office Bearers be called for the AC meeting, since it concerns the students directly.”

The students group urged the administration to stop keeping student representatives out of the decision making process, especially in decisions concerning the student community.

In June last year, JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said the academic calendar has been disrupted due to COVID-19 pandemic and will be synchronised by December. However, it has been delayed.