New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) opposed the government’s decision to grant vice-chancellor Jagadesh Kumar a second term. The Centre allowed Kumar to stay in the office till a replacement is found after his term ended on January 26.
It may be recalled that the Education Ministry officials had in January said that Kumar will be in the office till a successor is appointed.
JNUTA demanded the appointment of a new VC at the earliest. The members accused Kumar of enjoying an autonomy that had proven detrimental to the “unique character of the university”.
“The current administration over the last five years undermined the university structure,” the JNUTA was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“Further delays in appointing a new vice-chancellor by the government would only add further to the damages already wrecked,” said the JNUTA members.
There have been allegations against the current VC that he had taken decisions “arbitrarily” to “deliberately weaken” the existing system of academic governance.
“Nearly 150 legal cases have been filed by various constituencies — faculty, students, non-teaching staff against the VC and his administration since 2016.
“In majority of these, the university has been found to have committed illegality,” JNUTA secretary Moushumi Basu was quoted by PTI.
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