JNU to Delhi High Court: Allocation of 100% PhD seats to JRF a "Well-Considered Policy"

In a filing to Delhi High Court, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) stated that it is t in violation of any law in allocating 100% of PhD seats at seven centres to Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) candidates and that it is a "well-considered policy decision."  university said that JRF is one of most prestigious fellowships awarded to candidates who qualify for an intense competitive examination conducted by UGC at national level and refore, successful candidates have alrey proven acumen in ir respective fields.

“Allocation of 100 per cent PhD seats to JRF category candidates for acemic year 2021-22 in select centres in JNU is a well-considered policy decision me by highest body of acemic experts i.e Acemic Council in conformity with UGC guidelines,” as stated in JNU affidavit filed in response to a petition filed by Students' Federation of India (SFI) challenging allocation.

It is asserted that JNU is well within its power to formulate eligibility criteria for mission of candidates in accordance with requirements and in pursuit of excellence. As part of an ongoing effort to improve educational environment and acemic standards at JNU, JRF has been transformed into a benchmark for quality research work.

Petition filed for political reasons

JNU contends SFI's petition was filed primarily for political reasons, t to serve a proclaimed public interest; it alleges violation of laws or regulations. “Petitioner is seeking to dilute a conscious practical decision taken by highest body of Respondent i.e Acemic Council and unnecessarily raking up a n-issue with electoral undercurrents being sole motive,” affidavit stated.

This would jeopardise lakhs of aspirants' chances of getting into PhD programmes offered by or institutions, JNU argues. Since nature of research is interdisciplinary, candidate would be denied opportunity to sit for an entrance examination for mission into PhD programmes offered by or institutions.

vocate Ashok Agarwal represented SFI in petition, which claims that seats for PhDs in seven departments of JNU were previously filled via both national college examinations for JRFs and entrance examinations for n-JRFs. But in current acemic year, university decided in seven of centres merely to fill all PhD seats with JRF candidates through its e-prospectus. This was illegal, arbitrarily, and unconstitutional.

Centre for International Tre and Development; PhD in Human Rights Studies; Centre for English Studies; Centre for Indian Langus: PhD in Hindi, Urdu, and Hindi Translation; Centre for Study of Law and Governance; Special Centre for Systems Medicine; and Centre for Women Studies. On July 16, a bench led by Chief Justice DN Patel issued a tice in PIL. After that, on August 20, matter would be heard again.