JNU teachers body wants Executive Council to discuss intake &

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) today raised a few issues that it wanted to be discussed in the Executive Council meeting to ensure the decision-making body was not "misled" by the administration.
The association in a letter to JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar demanded inclusion of these items in the agenda for the Executive Council (EC) meeting, which is likely to be held on June 30.
"We request you to place the agenda items for discussion before the EC, as it appears to us that the EC has been grievously misled by your administration on a number of counts and has led the EC to commit mistakes," JNUTA President Ayesha Kidwai said in a release.

Discussions on 'intake and admissions', 'revised M.Phil. and PhD ordinances', 'composition of Selection Committees' were some of the suggestions made by JNUTA.
As part of 'intake and admissions' agenda, JNUTA said the vice-chancellor had arrogated to himself the power to determine the intake for each centre and the admission policy of the university.
"The (revised) intake figures have never been approved by the Academic Council (AC). The EC has no power to grant approval to any decision pertaining to these aspects, unless it has already been approved by the AC," JNUTA said.

In another letter to Rector Chintamani Mahapatra, JNUTA alleged the VC's power to nominate a professor to Viva Voce Committee within the centre or from outside, instead of recommending a candidate from reserved categories flouted the norms.

"This is completely unacceptable, as it has the utmost of potential for vitiation of the functioning of the Committee, as the VC's nominee is likely to be completely unacquainted with the discipline/area of the subject of the Centre," Kidwai said in a statement.
The existing practice of including reserved members of the centre faculty must be retained, she added.
The proposal for audio-recording of the viva voce examination of candidates was also rejected by JNUTA.