JNU students' union launches hunger strike over PhD admission norms, demands bringing back in-house test
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) and the administration are locked in a tussle over PhD admissions.
On June 26, the union launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding the reinstatement of the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE) for PhD admissions. It has also called for a rollback of the decision to bar those who took the UGC-NET (University Grants Commission–National Eligibility Test) in June from applying.
According to the PhD prospectus for the 2025–26 academic session, released earlier this month, only candidates who qualified for the UGC-NET in June 2024 or December 2024 will be considered for admission — effectively excluding those who appeared for the June 2025 exam.
The JNUSU claimed the move unfairly disqualifies a large section of prospective applicants, particularly those from the 2023 MA batch. 'Many students had been preparing with the assumption that the June 2025 NET would be valid. The administration made this decision without informing anyone in advance,' said JNUSU Vice-President Manisha.
'Those part of the hunger strike have experienced a drop in blood sugar levels. I've lost 2.5 kg myself. But we won't budge until our demands are heard,' she added. The administration, as per the students, has justified the PhD admission norms by citing a delay in the academic calendar. In 2024, PhD classes began in January instead of July, and the new prospectus notes that the timeline for this year's admissions has been adjusted to bring the calendar back on track. However, students argued that this explanation fails to justify the lack of prior communication.
In a written response to the JNUSU, Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit has stated that the administration last year had asked all deans and chairpersons to consider conducting the JNUEE, but none agreed to take responsibility for organising it. She added that many academic units instead preferred using the NET or CUET (Common University Entrance Test).
The V-C further said that data presented by the Director of Admissions showed CUET to be more inclusive and accessible, particularly for students from reserved categories.
The JNUSU, however, contended that this undermines democratic access to education, especially for students from marginalised backgrounds. On May 24, the union held a campus-wide referendum on reinstating JNUEE, in which 93% of those who voted supported its return, it said.
Despite repeated requests, the union claimed the V-C has refused to meet elected representatives unless all central panel office bearers — along with the Joint Secretary from the ABVP — are present. Students have also raised three other demands:
-Stop the eviction of PhD scholars from hostels before their thesis submission.
-Revoke all ongoing proctorial inquiries against students.
-Increase the MCM (Merit-cum-Means) scholarship to Rs 5,000 and abolish the 'Rationalising Committee' reportedly reviewing scholarship norms.
So far, a total of eight students have joined the hunger strike near the Administrative Block, including Manish, Nitish Kumar (JNUSU President), and student councillors Antariksha and Krishnapriya.
(Sharmistha Shivhare is an intern with The Indian Express)
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