The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union on Sunday resolved to end the lockdown caused by various protests on campus. A final year PhD student had approached the Delhi High Court seeking intervention as the protests had reportedly disrupted classes.
The students’ union decided there was “a need to reassess the present mode of agitation”. “After due deliberations, the union calls for a centralised mode of protest at the Freedom Square next week,” the union said. “The council resolves to evolve a joint action plan with the JNUTA [Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association] as well.”
“It was unanimously agreed by councillors from all schools that academic activities should continue as the student community across centres are deeply concerned regarding their due scholarships and the upcoming end-semester examinations and submission of thesis [and] dissertations,” the JNUSU said after its council meeting.
Over the past few months, students and teachers have been protesting on and outside the campus to raise several concerns – the administration’s inaction against a professor accused of sexual harassment, the introduction of a compulsory attendance system, and the decision to remove department heads and a coordinator for not complying with the institute’s new rules.
The students have also complained about the alleged violation of reservation policy in courses, political appointments to faculty positions and increase in mess fees. They also protested against the show-cause notices issued to students and First Information Reports and contempt cases against them.
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