Jawaharlal Nehru University appeals students to call off agitation

Deans of all different departments of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Wednesday appealed to the students to call off their agitation and return to classes and allow normal functioning of academic activities.

"We appeal to the students to call off their agitation and return now to their classes and allow normal functioning of academic activities so that the current semester's work of examinations and term papers is completed on time," Deans of all schools of the university said in a release.

"The High Power Committee recently constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had on Tuesday called the Deans of all the Schools of the University. The three-member Committee listened patiently to the views of the Deans, where the rationale for the increase in hostel charges were explained in considerable detail," the release read.

"The Deans explained the urgent need to revise hostel charges and requested the Committee to recommend to increase adequate funds for JNU so that students belonging to the economically poor section of the society are able to afford JNU education", the statement further read.

Earlier today, the High Power Committee of the MHRD met a delegation of JNU students and took stock of their views at Shastri Bhawan.

The Ministry has agreed to meet the students again on Friday at the JNU campus to find solutions to the current issues, MHRD said in a tweet.

Former UGC Chairman VS Chauhan, AICTE Chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe, and UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain are members of the committee.

On Tuesday, the JNUSU repeated its demand for rollback of the "illegally passed draft manual", and fee structure.

Meanwhile, JNU students today protested against the Delhi Police at their headquarters in ITO here. The protest was against the alleged beating of visually impaired students during their agitation on fee hike.