Handful of students polluting university environs: JNU administration

New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) Accusing the students of "vitiating" the atmosphere of the university, JNU authorities on Friday asked them to call off their 'Occupy Ad Block' agitation during which they prevented entry of the officials inside to protest the UGC's new admission policy.

"The students' agitation... is not only vitiating the academic atmosphere of the University but also harming the interests of the vast majority of students who have come from different parts of the country and the world in the pursuit of higher education," JNU authorities said in a statement.

A call for the demonstration was given on Thursday by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) to seek a clarification from the Vice-Chancellor (VC) on the UGC notification.

The notification -- which proposed 100 per cent weightage to viva voce and reducing entrance examination to a qualifying criteria -- was adopted by the JNU Academic Council (AC) in its meeting on December 26 last year amid protestations from almost half of the Council's members.

The teachers were joined by students in their denunciation of the notification, who called it discriminatory and anti-minority.

According the students, the notification also implied a cut in intake of M.phil. and Ph.D students by putting a cap on the number of such students faculty members could mentor.

Pursuing the same matter, a 500-strong group of students swarmed the administration block of the varsity on Friday and prevented the entry of the officials inside.

"The blockade of the Administration building is unlawful and unjust and, therefore, administration requests the students to immediately vacate the Administration building and let the University function normally. The students' agitation with regard to UGC Regulation 2016 is unwarranted," the authorities said.

They also pronounced the students' act unjust saying that the administration has already promised to retain the "progressive admission policy" of the university, within the frame of the UGC guidelines.

The varsity said that it will retain the policies pertaining to "deprivation points, reduction of weightage given to viva-voce marks, relaxation of marks at legally appropriate stages to follow constitutionally sanctioned reservation policy, etc."

The statement also mentioned that the JNUSU delegates refused to accept an offer to meet the authorities on coming Monday, and insisted with its demand to hold the conversation amidst the agitating students.

"Some student representatives are insisting that the administration must address the gathering of agitating students. Discussion cannot be carried out in the large gathering of agitating students," it said.

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