JNU admin asks protesting students to resume academics, warns of action

The administration of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday has urged the students protesting for over the past week to return to their classes and resume their academic work. "Administration appeals to the JNU students to return to the classes and labs and resume their academic and research work so that the losses incurred already on these counts may be compensated," the varsity administration said in a circular. The protests began over the proposed hike in hostel fees along with curfew timings and dress code regulation. The latter two have since been withdrawn while fee hikes have been partially slashed.

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The circular also informed that the academic calendar has been approved by the Academic Council and the Executive Council and that there is not going to be any relaxation in the deadlines. "Due to the ongoing strike by a group of students, thousands of students who wish to participate in the JNU academic programmes and plan to complete their academic requirements for continuance in the University are adversely affected," the circular read.

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Warning issued

The JNU administration also warned that those protesting students who fail to meet the norms and requirements under the rules of the university will be dropped from the roll list. The body had time and again appealed to students to get back to their classes and continue with their academic and research work. "This will help in completing academic programmes without any further obstacles. If these academic requirements are not met in time, thousands of students may be affected, damaging their future career prospects," the circular added.

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Violence, detention, and desecration

Protests in JNU have turned from opposition to hostel rule changes to an all-out political and ideological slugfest. Demonstrations have taken a violent and ugly turn many times with administration meetings being disturbed and staff members harassed. The assistant dean of students was allegedly detained for nearly thirty hours, a soon-to-be-unveiled statue of Swami Vivekananda was desecrated with objectionable messages and varsity corridors along with the vice-chancellor's office were marked with derogatory remarks by suspected miscreants. JNU has already filed complaints with the Delhi police and investigations into the matter are underway.

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(With ANI inputs)