JNU teachers start public inquiry against V-C, seek probe by Prez

NEWDELHI: A public inquiry by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has found that vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar allegedly violated statutory provisions and obligations and suggested that President Ram Nath Kovind, who is Visitor to the university, initiate a probe against him.

Monday was the first day of the five-day public inquiry initiated by JNUTA against the V-C on seven charges. Some of the charges, which will be heard till Friday, are undermining the faculty selection procedure, undermining JNU’s sexual harassment policy, and displaying a callous attitude towards missing student Najeeb Ahmad. The final verdict will be announced on Friday.

The probe panel consists of JNU emeritus professor Prabhat Patnaik, former JNU professor PK Yadav, Delhi University professors Nandita Narain and Apoorvanand and journalist and author Akshaya Mukul.

Presenting the case against the V-C, Jayati Ghosh, a professor from the Centre of Economic Studies and Planning, accused him of not following university rules and deliberately calling academic council meetings during vacations. “There were three academic council meetings since he joined two years ago and all during vacations when most of us are engaged with other activities. Even in the meetings, we are not allowed to speak, especially women members. Agendas are just read and passed without discussions,” she said.

Ghosh said the V-C tampered with minutes of the meetings and added a clause that gave him powers to nominate members to the selection committee.