JNU administration appeals to agitating students to call off strike

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Wednesday appealed to agitating students to immediately call off their strike and said it had received "letters and messages from several bona fide students who have expressed their anguish over the persistent agitation".

End-semester examinations are to begin on December 12 and apprehensions are abound that the students, who are eagerly waiting for completing their academic requirements, will face obstructions due to the ongoing agitation, JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar said.

"The JNU administration has been receiving letters and messages from several bona fide students who have expressed their anguish over the persistent agitation, lockdown of the administration building and forced closure of some schools by the agitators," he said.

He also shared mails purportedly written by some students expressing anguish over the prevailing situation.

A physically challenged student has apparently written to the administration saying he has never participated in any kind of protest and has always wanted to attend classes but has not been able to do so owing to the shutdown over the hostel fee hike issue.

"... Now I am hearing rumours from social media and newspapers about students boycotting the examinations. If the university allows such a thing to happen, it would be great injustice to those who have always been regular and sincere in the classes and have not supported any such activities which disrupt the normal functioning of the university," the student, whose name was withheld by the administration, has written.

He also urged the administration to ensure that his "academic rights of attending classes and taking examinations should not be allowed to be compromised" because of the "coercive methods" adopted by those who wish to disrupt the peaceful academic environment on the campus.

In a separate letter, another student has apparently demanded strict action against those who stop the university's academic and administrative activities by "coercive means".

"All protests which violate university rules and high court order should not be allowed on the campus," the student has written.

He assured the students that end-semester examinations will be held as per the schedule from December 12.

"All the students who wish to write the examinations should report at their respective Schools and Centres. If Schools and Centres are prevented from holding the examinations, strict action will be taken against such persons as per university rules," Kumar said.

The JNU Students' Union is holding a General Body Meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to boycott the examination.