Students under pressure due to delay in JNU academic calendar, alleges teachers' body

New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) The delay in Jawaharlal Nehru University's academic calendar has put a burden on teachers and students to finish the coursework in a rush, the JNU Teachers' Association alleged on Friday reiterating its demand to bring back the old entrance exam system for admissions.

The teachers' body claimed that professors have been asked to hold classes on weekends to complete the coursework on time.

This has affected the quality of teaching and learning as teachers are juggling with added responsibilities, they added.

'The delay in CUET exams in JNU has further delayed our academic calendar as a result of which admissions in many courses are still going on in the middle of the academic year,' JNUTA president D K Lobiyal told PTI. He is protesting over long-pending demands of the teachers for promotions, among other issues.

'The delay has hampered the teaching and learning process and put pressure on both students and teachers to complete the course at the last minute,' he added.

The teachers' body has alleged that the statutory process of the university for admissions has been violated by the administration by allowing enrolment in many courses in the middle of the academic year.

They claimed that this has not only put pressure over students to complete their syllabus in a hurry but also added an additional load on teachers to hasten the coursework without giving time for quality learning.

When asked, JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said the 'Covid pandemic has created the dislocation'.

'All academic decisions are taken at the levels of chairperson and deans and then conveyed to the Director of Admissions and Controller of Examination (CoE),' the VC told PTI.

'The JNU administration includes all of them as well. The VC and her office doesn't interfere,' she said.

Admission to many MA courses are still being held at the JNU and are pending for PhD programmes.

The new students who have joined in the middle of the academic year face similar pressure of covering up the two-year coursework in a few months.

'The administration is rushing us to cover two years' coursework in two months. The faculty has been asked to take classes on Saturdays and Sundays. It is also unfair for new joinees who have to complete the entire course in such a short span of time,' said Moushumi Basu, associate professor and member of JNUTA.

The teachers' body has demanded that the CUET be rejected at the university and the old entrance system of the university should be restored.

A nationwide protest will be the next step of the teachers' body if their demands are not met, Lobiyal said.

'We will hold a nationwide protest and approach the Education ministry if our demands are not met,' he said.

The JNUTA observed a protest day on Friday against the delay in promotions, academic calendar, halted creche facility for married students, and inclusivity and gender diversity on the campus. PTI SJJ CK