This Article is From Mar 28, 2017

JNU Admission Row: JNUTA Requests For Relaxations, Proposes Amendments To UGC 2016 Regulations

JNU Admission Row: JNUTA Requests For Relaxations, Proposes Amendments To UGC 2016 Regulations

JNU Admission Row: JNUTA Requests For Relaxations

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) has sought clarifications and has requested for relaxations in connection to the reduction in research seats in JNU admission 2017. Earlier to this, JNUTA expressed its disappointment at the statement made by the Minister of Human Resource Development regarding the number of research scholars working with each faculty member. Recently JNU Student's Union (JNUSU) had submitted a memo to UGC against the JNU admission research seat cut. JNUSU memo to UGC highlighted on the zero intake for major centres.

JNU admission 2017 has garnered the wrath of JNUSU and JNUTA over the massive seat cut for research-oriented courses. JNUSU memo stated the violation of 93rd Constitution Amendment which mandated expansion of seats for implementing OBC reservation during 2008-11. It emphasized on expanding faculty recruitment instead of reducing student intake.

JNUTA memo states that, "The admission policy (dated 21 March 2017) has resulted in 86% decrease in the intake for 2017-18 in the M.Phil./PhD, M.Tech/PhD and Direct PhD programmes in JNU. Many M.Phil./PhD programmes have no admissions in 2017-2018. As of now, many Centres in the university which are exclusively research centres will have no teaching all of next year."

JNUTA memorandum has focused on the following points:

Violation of Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006: JNUTA condemns UGC for linking admission seats with the supervisor-student ratio and have stated it unreasonable (Clause 6.5 of the UGC Notification 2016). "...the CEI Act 2006, which fixed the minimum intake in all programmes at 54% above the existing intake."

Retrospective Effect on UGC 2016 regulations: JNUTA states that UGC 2016 regulation has been implemented retrospectively, "as research students admitted in the past years are being counted against each faculty." Further it has been highlighted on the viva voce weightage, removal of deprivation points and delinking of MTech/ PhD programmes.

Violation of the University Act: JNUTA has claimed that with the implementation of 2016 regulations, the varsity has violated the University Act. "The University Act provides for discussion and decision-making in the various bodies of the University, through a well laid out process of consultation."

JNU admission 2017 has begun on 22 March 2017. The last date for submission of application is 5 April.
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