JNU culture under threat: 400 global educators tell VC

Academicians from universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Yale and London School of Economics have written to Jawaharlal Nehru University vice chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, asking him to restore the institutional autonomy of JNU.

The letter comes in the backdrop of teachers and students protesting against the change in admission policy. The students are on a hunger strike and have occupied the administrative block, as they say the new policy will lead to a seat cut in MPhil, PhD programmes.

“The academic culture and context that has formed the basis of cooperation with international institutions is under serious threat. We are deeply concerned about the events unfolding on your campus and we urge the authorities to act decisively to protect the future of JNU as an internationally renowned university of academic excellence, which has produced generations of excellent scholars ,” said the letter signed by 400 professors from across the world.

The attack on public education disables opportunities for the historically marginalised communities of India, it said.

“It is essential that an enabling admission policy, like the one in place in JNU must be retained, other than abiding by the constitutionally mandated policies for affirmative action,” the letter said.