JNU students vote for revival of PhD entrance exam in 'referendum'

In a student referendum, JNU students back reinstating the JNU Entrance Examination for PhD admissions, rejecting reliance solely on the UGC-NET for admissions

Students participating in a "referendum" held by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) have voted heavily for reinstating the entrance exam for PhD admissions in the prestigious university.

In the polling, that took place between 5 pm and 10 pm on Saturday in the hostel areas on the university campus, 1,323 of the 1,424 votes cast favoured bringing back the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE).

Ninety-six voted against it while five votes were declared invalid.

The Left-wing All India Students' Association (AISA), which holds the JNUSU president post, had urged students to vote for the restoration of the entrance exam.

In a statement, the university student union criticized the JNU vice-chancellor for allegedly backtracking on her promise, made during a 16-day hunger strike, to conduct an in-house PhD entrance exam for 2025 admissions.

"Madam VC backtracked from her word'. JNU VC consciously decides to pay no heed to the deans of the schools and chairpersons of the special centres, who overwhelmingly opined in favour of the JNUEE," JNUSU said in a statement.

Speaking to PTI, JNUSU President Nitish Kumar said, "We want admissions for PhDs to be granted through the entrance exam and not based on UGC-NET. It has been a very long-standing demand.