NEW DELHI: Students can face a penalty of as much as Rs 20,000 and even cancellation of admission for holding dharnas or a advantageous of as much as Rs 30,000 for resorting to violence on the Jawaharlal Nehru University, its newest guidelines stipulate. As per the brand new guidelines, a pupil could face a advantageous of Rs 50,000 advantageous for bodily violence, abuse and manhandling in direction of one other pupil, employees, or school members. Students and lecturers of the college have condemned the brand new guidelines and termed them “draconian”. Meanwhile, the JNU Students’ Union has referred to as a gathering of all pupil organisations on Thursday to debate the brand new guidelines.
The 10-page ‘Rules of Discipline and correct conduct of scholars of JNU’ has laid out punishments for various sorts of acts like protests and forgery, and procedures for proctorial enquiry and recording an announcement. The punishment ranges from a advantageous of Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 or rustication and cancellation of admission.
According to the doc, the principles got here into impact on February 3. It got here after the college witnessed a slew of protests over the screening of a BBC documentary.
The guidelines doc states that it has been authorised by the Executive Council, the very best decision-making physique of the college.
However, Executive Council members instructed PTI that the problem was introduced as a further agenda merchandise and it was talked about that this doc has been ready for “court matters”. They added that no correct dialogue was taken place over the matter.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s JNU secretary Vikas Patel termed the brand new guidelines “authoritarian (‘tughlaqi’)” whereas asserting that the outdated code of conduct was sufficiently efficient. He demanded a rollback of this “draconian” code of conduct.
JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree D Pandit didn’t reply to texts and calls from PTI looking for her response.
The guidelines will apply to all college students of the college, together with part-time college students whether or not admitted earlier than the graduation of those guidelines or after, the doc states.
Punishments have been listed for 17 “crimes”, together with blockage, indulging in playing, unauthorised occupation of hostel rooms, use of abusive and derogatory language and committing forgery. The guidelines additionally point out {that a} copy of the complaints can be despatched to the mother and father.
Cases involving each lecturers and college students could also be referred to the Grievance Redressal Committee of the college, college and centre degree. Sexual abuse, eve-teasing, ragging, and arousing communal disharmony circumstances are of the purview of the chief proctor’s workplace.
Chief Proctor Rajnish Mishra instructed PTI, “There were rules mentioned in the statute. However, the new rules have been formulated after a proctorial enquiry.”
He didn’t reveal when this proctorial enquiry began and when requested whether or not outdated guidelines have been modified, he replied in affirmation.
It has proposed punishments for all acts of violence and coercion resembling gheraos, sit-ins or any variation which disrupt regular educational and administrative functioning and/or any act which incites or results in violence.
The punishments embody “cancellation of admission or withdrawal of degree or denial of registration for a specified period, rustication up to four semesters and/or declaring any part or the entire JNU campus out of bounds, expulsion, a fine of up to Rs 30,000 as per the old rules, One/two semesters of eviction from the hostel”.
If the matter is sub-judice, the chief proctor’s workplace will take motion as per the order and path of the honourable court docket, the principles state.
For starvation strikes, dharnas, group bargaining and every other type of protest by blocking the doorway or exit of any of the tutorial and/or administrative complexes or disrupting the actions of any member of the University group, a advantageous of as much as Rs 20,000 can be levied.
According to the outdated guidelines, for gheraos, demonstrations and sexual harassment, the proposed punishments have been cancellation of admission, rustication and expulsion.
This statute states the college has a proctorial system the place the administration of student-related issues about all acts of indiscipline are delegated to the chief proctor. He and she or he are assisted by proctors. The measurement of the Proctorial Board is determined by the competent authority.
After receipt of a grievance, it is going to be scrutinized by the chief proctor who will arrange a proctorial enquiry.
“Subsequently, both a one/two/three member(s) proctorial enquiry committee to conduct an in-depth investigation into the matter. Proctorial enquiry is an inside enquiry of JNU and therefore, no different particular person besides the Board members is allowed to be current throughout hearings.
“The accused or complainants is not allowed to be represented by a third party. Similarly, he/she cannot have an observer during the process of enquiry,” the doc learn.
An Executive Council member, who doesn’t want to be named, mentioned the matter was not mentioned at size within the EC assembly and “we were told that the rules have been created for court matters”.
Another Executive Council member Brahma Prakash Singh mentioned: “The university might have planned to streamline the process and prepare a full document but it should have been discussed in the EC meeting properly. Some of the rules are absurd.”
The ABVP’s JNU secretary Patel mentioned, “There is no need for this new authoritarian (‘tuglaki’) code of conduct. The old code of conduct was sufficiently effective…Instead of focusing on improvement of safety security and order, the JNU admin has imposed this draconian code of conduct, without any discussion with the stakeholders, especially the student community. We demand its rollback.”
