Reaching out through a video message to the students protesting over the hostel fee hike, the vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University M Jagadesh Kumar appealed to the students to return to the classrooms and research activities from Monday i.e. 18th November 2019 as not doing so will jeopardize the academic goals of the students.
Pramod Kumar, the Registrar, also published a circular on Sunday i.e. 17th November 2019, stating that there will be no relaxation of exam and dissertation submission deadlines. The circular also stated the students who do not clear the requisite number of courses and exams and who do not maintain the requisite CGPA will be dropped out from the JNU roll list.
In the last 2 weeks, academic performance in the university suffered greatly because of the strike by the students. As all know, IHA Committee and dean, provosts and senior wardens are in the process of discussing with hostel presidents to listen to the concerns about the hostel. Recently, in the meeting with the executive council, the draft manual was also discussed and many student’s concerns were taken into consideration.
The charges to be paid are only 50% for Below Poverty Line students and many other concessions have also been taken into account. In spite of this, if we continue with the strike, it will lead to academic loss and that will affect the future of thousands of students, Kumar said in his message.
From tomorrow i.e. 18th November 2019, Monday’s new week is going to start and I would like to appeal to all the students to return to the classes and to resume the research activities. From 12th December 2019, the end-semester will start and if the students don’t attend the classes and participate in the exams it will greatly affect the future academic goals.
The JNU teacher Mohapatra added that we would like to appeal to the students to attend the classes and have to complete their exams before 23rd December 2019. Dedicated teachers are trying to finish the syllabus but are struggling to take classes because of the strike. He also said that it will be very difficult for the university to cope with the semester and students will be the biggest losers.