JNUSU to protest at convocation venue against hostel manual

The Jawaharlal Nehru Students' Union (JNUSU) said on Sunday that it will protest at the convocation venue against the "anti-student" policies of the varsity's administration.

The varsity will be hosting its third convocation on Monday and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will be the chief guest.

The students' union gave a call to students to assemble in the campus and said they plan to subsequently march to the AICTE auditorium, where the convocation will be held.

The students' union has been on a strike against the Draft Hostel Manual which was approved by the Inter-Hall Administration. They claim that the manual has provisions for fee hike, curfew timings and dress code restrictions for students.

They have said they will not end the strike till the Hostel Manual is withdrawn.

The Monday's protest is also part of the students' agitation against the hostel manual and several other issues like restrictions by the administration on entry to Parathasarathy Rocks, attempts to lock students' union office, etc, they said.

Last year, the varsity held its second convocation after a period of 46 years.

Last year, the students' union called for boycotting the convocation, accusing JNU VC M Jagadesh Kumar of "muzzling their democratic rights".

The first convocation of the university was held in 1972, when G Parthasarathi was the vice-chancellor.

The candidates who have been awarded their degrees from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 will be eligible to be conferred their Ph.D degree at the convocation.