IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Feb 8: The formal notification from Jawaharlal Nehru University making a massive cut in seats for M.Phil and Ph.D courses as per the guidelines of University Grants Commission, has angered the students.
“The JNU administration’s unilateral imposition of the UGC circular has been robustly resisted by students and teachers. The notification is not just another problematic circular but also a huge assault on inclusive higher education, in general, and JNU’s model of inclusive admission process, in particular,” said JNU Students Union president Mohit K Pandey.
The Democratic Students Federation said the present strength of School of Social Sciences (SSS) is 330, that of School of International Studies (SIS) is 232 and School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS) is 227. But SSS has reduced 232 seats, followed by 141 by SIS and 73 by SLL&CS.
Against the cut, students launched a referendum at the campus on Tuesday and it continued late night. Its results will be declared today.
screenshot of a page from long list of faculty-wise revised intake for MPhil and PhD at JNU.
“Students came in large numbers and have put forth their loud and clear opinion before the govt…We will fight it back Unitedly and Resolutely. Tomorrow at 3 pm, at ad block we will do counting and declare the result,” Pandey said.
However, JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said that the number of seats has been calculated in accordance with UGC guidelines.
“As per UGC, a professor can have eight PhD students and 3 MPhil students. An associate professor can have 6 PhD students and 2 MPhil students, while for an assistant professor the numbers are 4 and 1,” he was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.
