Restore sanctity of statutory body, indulge in transparent decision making: JNUTA asks new VC

NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) called upon the new JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit to “restore the sanctity of statutory bodies, engage in transparent dialogic processes of decision making.”

The Teachers’ body said that the long wait for a VC is finally over as the university received its first woman VC with the appointment of Pandit on February 7.

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The Association asked Pandit to observe the rule of seniority in rotation while appointing deans and chairpersons in JNU and to keep a vigorous financial check in all administrative matters.

JNUTA further demanded the VC to make sure that robust regulatory mechanisms are implemented in the university to maintain checks and balances, so that the tenure of five year of Pandit is “peaceful, productive and academically enabling for the diverse spectrum of opinions that a university like JNU produces.”

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The Association said it will present its demands to the new administration in order to ensure an administration which is not partial and restore teaching and learning activities as per the rules of the university.

JNUTA concluded by saying that it will continue to exercise critical vigilance over all related matters to the wellbeing of JNU.

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Meanwhile, BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday slammed the choice of Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the new JNU vice-chancellor, saying such "mediocre appointments serve to damage our human capital and our youth's future". He shared on Twitter the press release put out by Pandit after she took over, and said this is an exhibition of "illiteracy".

Pandit on Monday said her focus would be the implementation of the National Education Policy and providing a gender-sensitive environment for academic excellence.