Protests Allowed Only At Designated Areas, Not Completely Banned: JNU

A clarification from a JNU official was reported following flak over the strict measures drawn by the varsity against strikes and dharnas inside the JNU campus.

Protests by students are not completely banned inside the JNU campus, and are instead, allowed only at designated areas inside the varsity premises, news agency PTI reported an official as clarifying. The reported clarification follows flak over a series of strict measures incorporated by the JNU administration against staging dharnas and strikes within the boundaries of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. 

Earlier, the Jawaharlal Nehru University in its revised Chief Proctor Office (CPO) Manual underlined that staging dharnas and putting up wall posters within 100 metres of the academic buildings of the varsity would attract a fine of up to Rs 20,000 or expulsion. The manual further stated that any kind of activity identified as ‘anti-national’ shall be imposed with a fine of Rs 10,000. 

However, the Rs 20,000 fine rule for protesting at prohibited areas inside the JNU campus is an old rule which has already been in place. This is not a new norm unanimously passed by the university’s executive council (EC) last month, the official was further reported as saying on the condition of anonymity. 

“We have not changed anything. These rules were already there in place. We have just introduced a few other regulations to ensure no disruption is caused to the academic process. Students still have the democratic right to protest at designated places,” the official was quoted as saying by PTI. 

On Monday, the JNUSU (JNU Students Union) shared the CPO manual released in November 2023, outlining 28 types of misconducts, including a fine of Rs 10,000 for anti-national sloganeering, restrictions on placing wall posters, staging dharnas within 100 metres of the academic buildings, among other several punishable acts that could lead to a fine of up to Rs 20,000 or even expulsion from the university.

“The stringent measures outlined in the manual are aimed at stifling the vibrant campus culture that has defined JNU for decades. The JNUSU demands that the university administration immediately revoke the new manual of the office of the Chief Proctor Manual,” the students’ union had said.

Following the release of the CPO manual, students at the university condemned it terming it as depriving students of their democratic right of registering dissent. Amidst the row on the manual, JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Pandit said that rules and regulations against misconducts on the campus have been in place for long, and they are not new. 

“This is old, not new. Passed unanimously by the EC last month as the manual had to be made legally sound. The fines are on indiscipline of drinking, drugs and misbehavior in hostels and towards women. The proctor’s office since 1969 has been taking action, imposing fines and rustications,” she was reported as saying. 

(With inputs from PTI)

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