No curfew timings in hostels or dress code in dining halls, says JNU admin

Jawaharlal Nehru University on Friday clarified it has not introduced any norm to restrict students' entry in hostels and dress code in dining halls at the campus, calling the talks as mere 'rumours'.

In a press statement, the university administration said 'some motivated' students were spreading rumours about new hostel manual approved by Inter Hall Administration Committee.

"They're claiming that curfew timings in hostels and dress code in dining halls are freshly introduced. It's completely untrue. There is no curfew time as alleged," it said.

The university appealed to students not to be misled by "few rumour mongers who are trying to derail normal functioning of the university through their unlawful actions". "Such behaviour lowers the image of the student community," the press note said.

The university registrar said old norms governing the hostel life in the university mandates students to return to their hostel by 11 pm or 30 minutes after the closing of the library reading room.

"Since the library reading room used to be closed by 12 in the midnight. As per the old rule, students have to reach the hostel by 12.30 am. However, now the library reading room is open 24/7. Therefore, in effect, as per either the old rule or new rule, students can reach the hostel any time," the university registrar said in the press note.

It said that there was no "massive hike" in the hostel fee either, as alleged by the students.

On Tuesday, the students staged a protest outside the Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) meeting venue against the introduction of a new draft for the hostel manual.

"The hostel fees have been increased. Curfew and dress restrictions have been introduced. The library is being closed before time. For the first time in JNU, we have been told that if we don't pay the fees for the mess, we will be evicted from the hostel," JNU Students Union president Aishe Singh had said.

On Monday, a group of students had allegedly waylaid an ambulance and prevented doctors from taking the Dean of Students to hospital after he fell ill on the campus during a protest by students against a meeting, which was denied by the students.