Varsity won’t extend exam, dissertation deadlines: JNU V-C, profs ask students to end ‘undemocratic’ protest

“From tomorrow, the new week is going to start. I would like to appeal to all of you to return to your classes and resume research activities. From December 12, your end-semester exams will start; if you don’t attend classes and participate in the exams, it will affect your future academic goals,” he added.

This was echoed in a press address by five JNU teachers — Majhar Asif, Aswini Mohapatra, Pawan Dhar, Nagendra Sriniwas and Girish Nath Jha — who said it is “difficult for the university to extend further concessions”.

“We would like to appeal to students to attend classes. They have to complete their exams before December 23. Dedicated teachers are trying to complete the syllabus but are struggling to take classes. It will be very difficult for the university to adjust the semester, and students will be the biggest losers,” said Mohapatra.

Students have been protesting against the fee hike for the past few weeks. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

Neither teachers nor Dean (Students Welfare) Umesh Kadam were able to shed light on who comprise “BPL students”.

“… I’ve been told that different states have different income levels for it. Perhaps it will be different for students from different states and they will have to produce certificates accordingly… It is very difficult to define,” said Mohapatra.

Kadam, who was also at the press conference, said he supports protests but not an “undemocratic protest” and that the administration was not going to enter into a dialogue with an “un-notified union”.

“We have not notified the union because the election committee announced the poll results arbitrarily. The committee had submitted the result to the dean of students’ office in a sealed envelope, when the High Court had put a stay on its announcement. The envelope is still lying with me. Why should we talk to them when they are not notified?” he said.

Associate Dean of students welfare Vandana Mishra — who claimed she was held captive inside a classroom for 28 hours by students during the protest — alleged the entire protest was “political prejudice turning to political animosity”.

“At the time, I was only presented with a list of demands, with names of the four so-called students’ union office-bearers, because me signing it would mean they were notified. There was no interest in reducing fee,” she alleged.