JNUTA urges Vice-Chancellor to dissolve leave committee

NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) has written to Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, urging her to dissolve the "leave committee" as the introduction of a new procedure for leave is "worrisome and perplexing" and is in conflict with the powers of statutory authorities. The JNUTA also urged the VC to convene an emergency meeting of the executive council to consider the leave applications of eight colleagues "with no further delay".

The university executive council, at its 300th meeting held on May 5, did not deliberate on the pending leave applications of eight teachers and decided to set up a committee to scrutinise all long-leave applications. In a letter written to the VC on Monday, the JNUTA said the introduction of a new procedure for leave is "worrisome and perplexing" as there is already an "established, sound and long-standing academic and administrative procedure in place for scrutiny and approval of academic leave".

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The association also said the establishment of a committee to further scrutinise the applications approved by academic authorities and vetted by the Academic Branch subverts the authority of the centres and schools. "The introduction of an additional and unwarranted stage of scrutiny in the process can only contribute to uncertainty and delay rather than streamlining of the process," it said.

Urging the VC to intervene in the matter personally, the JNUTA said: "We therefore urge you to dissolve the 'leave committee' and convene an emergency meeting of the executive council to consider the leave applications of the eight colleagues with no further delay." According to the JNU's ordinances and practice, both Extraordinary Leave and Sabbatical Leave applications are decided upon by the executive council.