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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid financial constraints, JNU to hold its entrance exam only for two PhD courses
Only two PhD programmes at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) — in Cinema Studies and Korean Studies — will admit students through the Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEE) in the 2025–26 academic session. Even as some schools were in favour of JNU conducting its entrance exam, financial constraints emerged as a challenge, The Indian Express has learnt. 'It was communicated to us that it is financially not viable to conduct our in-house examination. The deans then agreed to proceed with going through the UGC-NET mode. This happened in a meeting a few months ago,' Prof Parul Dave Mukherji, Dean of the School of Arts and Aesthetics (SAA), told The Indian Express. Last July, a meeting was held under the chairpersonship of Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, where it was conveyed that no financial assistance would be forthcoming from central bodies for JNU to hold its entrance exam. Deans and chairpersons were then asked to consult faculty members and submit proposals, detailing their position on the in-house exam. However, both the School of Arts and Aesthetics (SAA) and the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS) had written to JNU seeking a return to the JNUEE model. In a letter dated July 9, 2024, SAA's former dean, Urmimala Sarkar Munsi, argued that the NET-JRF and MCQ format were 'not suited' to the kind of research required in fields like Visual Studies and Cinema Studies. The letter acknowledged financial limitations but proposed collaboration with the administration to work out an affordable model. 'We can discuss it further to ensure the best possible solution…,' it read. Likewise, a Chairperson's meeting at SLL&CS on July 22, 2024, saw a consensus in favour of JNUEE. 'The faculty members are of the opinion that JNU should conduct its entrance exams for all programmes of study… Such a step will help generate funds,' the minutes of the meeting stated. They also suggested that while academics could endorse the entrance model, financial modalities would need to be evaluated by the competent authority. When contacted, Prof Shobha Sivasankaran, Dean of SLL&CS, did not respond to calls or messages. JNU previously conducted JNUEE for all its programmes. However, with the rollout of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), it shifted to relying on UGC-NET scores for PhD admissions. Last year, the university had even formed a committee to explore the feasibility of reinstating JNUEE for certain disciplines not covered under UGC-NET — such as Korean Language, Arts and Aesthetics, and Labour Studies. The push for JNUEE began after UGC-NET was cancelled over paper leak allegations, prompting the Vice-Chancellor to express openness to stakeholder consultations on restoring JNUEE. The JNU Students' Union (JNUSU), in a letter dated June 28, welcomed the idea of dialogue but challenged the university's cost estimates for JNUEE. Signed by President Nitish Kumar, Vice-President Manisha, and General Secretary Munteha Fatima, the letter stated: 'Most Deans and Chairpersons have supported the reinstatement of JNUEE.' It also questioned the ₹5,000 per student figure cited by the Dean of Students and demanded a joint meeting with 'all relevant officers' and representatives from the JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA). In her reply, Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit wrote:'It is your organisation, JNUSU, and your responsibility to be inclusive whether they agree or not. It is a democratic practice to be inclusive.' She agreed to a stakeholder meeting but said if JNUTA members are included, the JNU Teachers' Federation (JNUTF) along with all 4 members of the students union must also be invited to ensure balanced representation. The JNUSU has since been on a hunger strike — now in its fifth day — demanding reinstatement of JNUEE among other issues. Asked why the ABVP's Joint Secretary Vaibhav Meena had not joined the protest, JNUSU President Nitish Kumar said, 'The Joint Secretary is in favour of doing admissions through the NTA.' ' JNUEE is subjective and is not inclusive. The questions that emerge in the examination are also very biased. This is why the ABVP is not for the inhouse NET is comparatively more inclusive and we noticed a lot more diversity in students coming into the campus. ' said an ABVP source. This is not the first time ideological divides have emerged within the union. A similar split occurred in 2015, when ABVP won a seat in the four-member panel, leading to tensions over collective decision-making.
India Today
2 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Jawaharlal Nehru University cuts foreign student fees by 80% to attract applicants
To boost international enrolments and strengthen its global academic standing, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has introduced a significant cut in tuition fees for foreign students. Effective from this academic year, the revised fee structure offers reductions of between 33 percent and 80 percent, varying by course and largest fee cuts have been offered to students from SAARC, African, and Latin American nations, with the aim of easing financial barriers for those coming from economically disadvantaged example, students from African and Latin American countries will now pay just $300 per semester for humanities courses, down from $1,500 — marking an 80% drop. For science courses, the new fee is $400, reduced from $1,900. SAARC students will also benefit significantly. Those enroling in humanities will pay $200 instead of $700, a 71% reduction. In the science stream, the fee is now $300, down from $700 — a 57% from West Asian countries will pay $500 for humanities and $600 for science courses — reductions of 66% and 68%, respectively. For students from all other countries, the new semester fees are $1,000 for humanities (down from $1,500) and $1,250 for science (down from $1,900). All international students will now also pay a one-time registration fee of $ Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said the move is part of the university's strategy to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes global and inclusive classrooms. The decision follows a detailed study of fee practices at international universities and aims to revive the dwindling number of foreign students on shows that JNU had 152 foreign students in 2020–21, but the number dropped sharply to just 51 in 2023–24. Several students had blamed the high tuition fees for the decline. The number of countries sending students to JNU also fell from 14 to just eight during the same university hopes that with the new affordable fee structure and its academic reputation, it will become a preferred destination once again for students from across the globe.- Ends
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
JNU Cuts Semester Fees For Int'l Students By Up To 80%
New Delhi: In a bid to reverse a sharp decline in international student enrolments, Jawaharlal Nehru University has slashed the tuition fees for foreign students by up to 80% starting this academic year. The new fee structure is aimed at reviving the university's global academic footprint, vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit told TOI. For students from SAARC countries, the semester fee for the humanities programmes has been reduced from $700 to $200— a 71% cut. For science programmes, it now stands at $300, reflecting a 57% drop. For students from Africa and Latin America, the revised fees are $400 for science—down from $1,900, a 78% reduction, and $300 for humanities—down from $1,500, an 80% reduction. Students from West Asia will pay $600 instead of $1,900, a 68% cut, in science and $500 instead of $1,500, a 66 % drop, in humanities. For students from all other countries, the semester fee has been revised to $1,250 for science courses from $1,900, a 34 % drop, and $1,000 for humanities from $1,500, a 33% cut. All foreign students will now have to pay a one-time registration fee of $500. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The revision comes against the backdrop of a steep drop in foreign student admissions at the university in recent years. JNU had 152 foreign students in 2020-21, which dropped to 122 in 2021-22, 77 in 2022-23, and just 51 in 2023-24, TOI reported earlier. The number of source countries also fell drastically—from 14 in 2020-21 to eight in 2023-24. Countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, which earlier sent the highest number of students, now have little to no representation on the campus, the report had stated. Students had pointed to the high fee structure as a major deterrent. Vice-chancellor Pandit told TOI, "I and my team worked on rationalisation of the fee structure for international students. Implementing National Education Policy 2020's vision and mission, we studied the best practices of higher education institutes and implemented this for the 25% over and above quota given by NEP and University Grants Commission." She added, "We aim that this will attract students from G20 countries—a vision of PM Modi for Global South. The university is gearing itself for Viksit Bharat and achieving global and inclusive classrooms." Welcoming the move, JNU International Students Association president Saugat Phuyal said this was a long-pending demand and the revision would help restore diversity on the campus, especially from SAARC countries. "We have seen a sharp fall in international students in recent years, particularly from SAARC nations. The new fee structure is a positive step that will make JNU more accessible again to students from these countries," he added. The university hopes the reduced fees, along with its academic reputation and targeted outreach efforts, will bring a renewed wave of foreign students to the campus.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
JNU Students Union Vs Administration: PhD Entrance, UGC-NET Ban At Core
New Delhi: As the hunger strike by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) enters its fourth day, the standoff between the union and the administration intensifies over the demand to reinstate the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE) for PhD admissions, as well as a rollback of the university's decision to bar June 2025 UGC-NET aspirants. The indefinite strike called by the union office-bearers continues even as Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit has said that the university's deans are not in favor of conducting the in-house test. In an open letter dated June 26, JNUSU's President Nitish Kumar, Vice President Manisha, and General Secretary Munteha Fatima wrote to the Vice Chancellor of an assurance allegedly made during a 17-day hunger strike last August, to reinstate JNUEE for the 2025-26 academic session. They accused the administration of ignoring feedback from academic units and using excuses of "lack of funds" to stall the entrance test. The students argued this undermines equitable admissions and benefits ideological affiliates of the RSS and ABVP. They also expressed frustration at repeated refusals by the VC to meet them, charging that her insistence on having all four office bearers present was undemocratic. Responding on June 27, Vice Chancellor Pandit stated that she had asked all deans last year to take responsibility for conducting JNUEE, but none provided any written commitment. "Many deans opted for NET and CUET instead," she wrote, citing their wider reach and improved participation of reserved categories. She noted, as a democratic head of the institution she had to respect their decision. Denying the charge of apathy, the Vice Chancellor said she had met all four union members earlier, adding that for future discussions all four members of JNUSU should be present (referring to ABVP-affiliated JNUSU member). "JNUSU is a panel of four members, and anyone left out makes it undemocratic," she said. In their response, the three protesting Left-affiliated JNUSU office-bearers questioned the VC's claim, arguing that several deans and chairpersons had in fact expressed support for JNUEE. The union maintains that the administration is unfairly shifting the responsibility for organising the exam onto the deans. They also demanded clarity on the Rs 5,000 per-student cost estimate for conducting JNUEE. The union has written seeking a comprehensive meeting with university authorities, including representatives of the JNU Teachers' Association to address what they call a "fragmented" and "exclusionary" admission process. While also rejecting the VC's insistence on the presence of the fourth union member-Joint Secretary Vaibhav Meena, who supports CUET/NET, and has not been part of their campaign. Meanwhile, JNU has already opened its online PhD applications for the current academic year, with the submission window running from June 26 to July 7. Viva-voce rounds are scheduled for the end of July, and the first merit list is expected on August 11. As the hunger strike at Sabarmati T-point continues, JNUSU president Nitish Kumar, Vice President Manisha, and General Secretary Munteha Fatima maintain that their protest would go on until the administration agrees to reinstate the JNUEE and engage in a wider, transparent dialogue on admissions policy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Deans not in favour of internal JNU entrance, VC tells protesting students
New Delhi: Amid an ongoing hunger strike by Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) demanding the reinstatement of the JNU entrance examination (JNUEE), vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit has written to the protesting students, stating that none of the university's deans was in favour of conducting the in-house test. In the email sent on June 27 and released by the administration on Saturday, Pandit said she had asked all deans a year ago to take responsibility for conducting JNUEE, but no one committed in writing. "None of the deans gave any commitment in writing and many deans opted for NET and CUET," she wrote, adding, "As a very democratic head of the institute, I have to abide by the decision taken by the deans and the chairpersons. " The VC was responding to an open letter written by the Left-backed JNUSU office-bearers on June 26—the day the students launched the indefinite hunger strike on the campus, protesting the administration's alleged unresponsiveness to several long-standing demands. They accused the administration of going back on its promise made during a 17-day hunger strike last Aug, when, they claimed, the VC had assured that JNUEE would be restored for PhD admissions from the 2025-26 session. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Livguard Lithium-X: The Future of Power Backup Livguard Buy Now Undo You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Pandit denied the charge of apathy and said she had met all four union members earlier. She insisted that any future meeting would also require all four members to be present (referring to ABVP-affiliated JNUSU member). "JNUSU is a panel of four members and anyone left out makes it undemocratic," she said. The VC also defended CUET as a more inclusive mode of admission. "The director of admissions discussed this with facts, figures and data. He proved to you that CUET was more democratic due to its wide reach and making it a more level-playing ground for all students, and the reserved categories have done better." In their response, the three protesting Left-affiliated office-bearers questioned the administration's claim that deans had opposed JNUEE. They said many deans and chairpersons had expressed support, and that the VC had wrongly shifted the responsibility of organising the exam onto them. The union has demanded a comprehensive meeting with all relevant university officials, including representatives from JNU Teachers' Association. They argue that the VC's insistence on full attendance by all four union members was unreasonable as one of them—who supports the current CUET/NET-based system—has not participated in the ongoing campaign or referendum in favour of JNUEE. The hunger strike, which began on June 26, entered its third day on Saturday, with three central union office-bearers continuing their sit-in at Sabarmati T-point.
