Academic activities have suffered greatly, students should end strike: JNU V-C

Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar on Sunday said the academic activities have greatly suffered in the past two weeks due to the protests and urged the students to end their strike.

"During the last two weeks, the academic activities in the university have suffered greatly because some students are on strike. I have been receiving several e-mails from students and their parents expressing their concern over the loss of academic activities," said Kumar.

The Vice Chancellor also appealed to the students to "discontinue the strike and come back to academic work".

"Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) committee, Dean of Students and senior wardens are in a process with hostel presidents to listen to their concerns about the hostels. Recently, in the Executive Council, new hostel manual was also discussed and many of the students' concerns were taken into consideration," said Kumar.

"In fact, the charges students have to pay are only 50 per cent for the below poverty line (BLP) category students. There are many other concessions given in the new hostel manual," he added.

Kumar said that if students continue their strike despite these facts, it will affect the future of thousands of students.

Earlier today, the administration issued a circular urging them to join the academic work.

The students of the varsity have been protesting for over the past two weeks against the recently introduced hostel manual, which imposes a hiked hostel fee and other restrictions.