New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) has demanded an immediate freeze on all ongoing teaching and non-teaching recruitment at the university, alleging serious procedural violations and irregularities in appointments during the tenure of Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit.
In a statement, JNUTA said JNU had commenced recruitment under Advertisement No. RC/75/2026 on August 14 despite allegations of procedural violations raised in an investigation by The Reporters' Collective (TRC).
The teachers' association described its opposition to the ongoing recruitment process as "fierce" and "unequivocal", and demanded an immediate halt to all recruitment activities.
JNUTA alleged that the university administration had violated University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations and statutory frameworks, while also undermining established academic rules and norms.
Among the allegations raised by the association are claims that expert panels were manipulated, appointments of Deans and Chairpersons were not made through rotation based on seniority, and elected teacher representatives in the university's Executive Council were allegedly silenced.
"Every single appointment made since 2022 stands tainted and suspect," JNUTA alleged.
The association also criticised the Vice-Chancellor's response to the allegations, saying that describing them as "propaganda" and attributing the criticism to "left-leaning JNUTA figures" did not address the specific procedural concerns raised in the TRC investigation.
JNUTA further alleged irregularities in the shortlisting and selection of candidates. According to the association, candidates who had initially been flagged as ineligible by the shortlisting committee were subsequently included in the shortlisted pool and eventually selected.
The teachers' body also raised allegations concerning potential conflicts of interest involving the Vice-Chancellor and IQAC Director Professor PR Kumaraswamy.
JNUTA said the pace of recruitment, including more than 400 interviews and over 200 appointments, could not be used to justify or shield alleged violations of statutory procedures.
The association also raised concerns over faculty promotions, claiming that several teachers had been waiting for promotions for more than a decade. It alleged that faculty members who questioned the administration had faced stalled career progression.
JNUTA termed the recruitment process an "outright fraud perpetrated against deserving academics" and demanded an immediate and complete freeze on Advertisement No. RC/75/2026, along with all ongoing teaching and non-teaching recruitment.
The association said it would approach the Ministry of Education seeking the alleged revocation of the Vice-Chancellor's recruitment powers and removal of both the Vice-Chancellor and the IQAC Director.
It also demanded a time-bound Visitorial or Vigilance inquiry into all faculty appointments made at JNU since February 2022.
"If the Vice Chancellor is truly confident that no recruitment violations occurred during her tenure, she should have no hesitation in strengthening the JNUTA's demand for a transparent and independent enquiry," the association said.
In the same statement, JNUTA also called for the complete scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA), citing what it described as repeated examination leaks and failures that have undermined the credibility of centralised entrance examinations.
The teachers' body alleged that repeated failures surrounding the NTA had compromised the integrity of entrance examinations and described centralised testing under the agency as a structural failure.
JNUTA demanded that the Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEE) be restored in place of the centralised examination system.
According to the association, bringing back university-level entrance examinations would strengthen institutional autonomy, reduce dependence on a central testing agency and provide universities with greater control over their admission processes.
The demands come amid a wider debate over examination integrity, recruitment procedures and institutional autonomy in higher education. JNUTA said transparent and independent mechanisms were necessary to address the concerns raised over appointments and admissions at JNU.
The allegations made by JNUTA are part of an ongoing dispute over the university's recruitment and administrative processes. Further action by the Ministry of Education or other authorities on the association's demands is awaited. (ANI)
JNUTA demands freeze on JNU recruitment, calls for scrapping NTA
