JNU VC criticised for demanding change in CUET-PG exam pattern – Times of India

JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit

Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Forum (JNUTF) on Saturday showed disappointment and voiced disagreement after the JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit‘s recent appeal to the Centre to change the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) format for postgraduate admissions.
The JNU Vice-Chancellor is reported to have made an appeal to the Government to change the Central Universities Entrance Test (CUET) format while speaking at the Indian Express’s Idea Exchange Session on 19th August. This appeal has been made without any deliberation and has no empirical data to substantiate its claims and fails to drive the point home. It is not only a premature submission but also a sign that the JNU vice-chancellor has been appropriated by the Marxist group of so-called intellectuals. She had been desperately trying to gain recognition by the Marxist group of scholars since the day of her assumption of the office in JNU. She has been acting on their advice and trying to earn their admiration by publicly showing agreement to the core agenda of Marxist professors. She has become the spokesperson of disruptive group of teachers against this flagship academic restructuring policy of the government.
JNUTF is utterly disappointed to read the statement by the vice-chancellor of the university and voice its strong disagreement with the tone and tenor of the statement. JNUTF also maintains that it is not only a political statement aimed at achieving ulterior motives but also undermines the idea of academic unity of the nation envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP). JNUTF wishes to put on record that the opinion of the vice-chancellor is shared only by a handful of teachers devoted to disruptive communist ideology.
JNUTF had high hopes and several expectations from the first woman vice-chancellor of the University. We felt that her appointed has been historical and her contributions may also be historical. There was a hope that she would work for the liberation of the Indian education system from the clutches of the Eurocentric, elitists and anti-India academics masquerading as scholars. With the approach and stance of the new vice-chancellor, our hopes seem to be fast receding. It is unfortunate that without giving the new system of examination a proper space and climate to flourish, the VC is all set to follow regressive trajectory and has started to lead JNU in the direction that is against the preamble of the NEP 2020.
The close examination of her recent statements reveals that the JNU VC is acting on the advice of her Marxist friends, philosophers and guides who monopolize the academic space in JNU and constitute the old-elite. The VC has either succumbed to the pressure tactics of the communists or willingly agreed to walk along with them. This hypothesis can be validated in the light of several well-acknowledged facts and evidences. The irresponsible statement made by the vice-chancellor in the middle of the ongoing CUET examinations has created a state confusion among the aspirants of JNU. It is beyond comprehension that why she had to make an appeal to the government with regards to the effective way of conducting entrance exam in media. She could have communication with the government about the same with proper qualitative study substantiated with convincing data. Does the vice-chancellor wish to convey that the students who joined JNU in last four years lack the writing and other requisite abilities? Has she conducted any survey in this regard before making such a sweeping statement. The timing of statement also smacks of some kind of ill-intent against the JNU students. JNUTF apprehends that such statements were uncalled for and discourage the students who burn midnight oil in the hope of joining JNU for a shining academic opportunity and atmosphere. This statement is indicative of the conspiratorial collusion of the administration with agents of chaos.
It is ironic to learn that the VC is flirting with divisive communist ideology while JNU is reeling under various challenges including crumbling infrastructure, deteriorating safety and security on campus, delay in promotions and recruitments, exclusionary tendencies at play in the processing of files, and growing dissatisfaction among the various stakeholders. JNUTF is mindful of all such developments and hope that the good sense will prevail but at the same time gearing up for all eventualities.