New Delhi: One of India's premier central universities, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has asked its Ph.D. and MPhil students to either vacate the hostel or shift to 9B according to the ordinance before New Year rings in.
JNU has been asking many of its PhD and MPhil students to vacate the hostel for the past few months but it has not come without controversies as student groups have opposed the move.
Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) has expressed solidarity with the students, while also demanding JNU and UGC extend the timeline to vacate so that students don't have to drop out and come under pressure while completing their courses.
Academic work had been seriously impacted by the prolonged closure of the institution during the COVID lockdown and the complete restriction of access to the library, lab, and other university resources. According to a statement from BAPSA, UGC and JNU are "now absolutely oblivious" of any pandemic effects.
The students' group also highlighted that many of the Ph.D. candidates are in the middle of their dissertations and will lose many years of their academics if the period to vacate is not extended. The group also claimed that JNU and UGC are harassing students.
The JNU vice-chancellor was approached by Ph.D. and MPhil terminal batch students on December 15, 2022, to hear their concerns. She called the students for talks after keeping them waiting for a long time and just at the end of the day. She firmly reiterated during a brief meeting that the administration cannot grant an extension for either six months or three months, according to BAPSA, as reported by Careers 360.
