Massive Seat-Cut For M.Phil, PhD courses In JNU Admission: Students Intensify Protests
New Delhi:
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has yesterday announced massive reduction in student intake in M.Phil and PhD courses and scrapped fresh admission in some departments for the upcoming academic session, inviting fresh protests by the student community. The Students alleged that no permission has been taken from the statutory bodies to make such a decision. The students were already protesting against the administration decision to adopt UGC recommendations in M.Phil and PhD courses which on last week JNU decided to continue to have a weightage of 80 per cent for entrance exam and 20 per cent for viva voce. According to the details of student intake for the new session announced by the university's evaluation branch, the prestigious School of Social Sciences (SSS) has reduced 232 seats, followed by School of International Studies (SIS) 141 and School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies 73, reported Press Trust of India. The present strength of SSS is 330, that of SIS 232 and School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies is 227.
Centre for African Studies, Centre for East African Studies, Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, Centre for the Study of Discrimination and Exclusion, and Centre for Media Studies will not have any admission this year for the two programmes. Other JNU departments which have reduced the seats include Centre for European Studies (6), Centre for Inner Asian Studies (13), Centre for International Legal Studies (7), Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (37), Centre for West Asian Studies (11), Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies (35), Centre for Arabic Studies (24), Centre for English Studies (13) and Centre for Indian Languages (49).
"The administration has finally made it clear that they are all out to close admissions to the M.Phil/PhD programmes. The number of intake for the upcoming admissions, which are in violation of the approved intake decided in the Academic Council as well as court orders, have been released," said Pratim Ghoshal, JNU student activist told Press Trust of India.
"Research facilities in our public universities are the only available option to higher studies for students from marginalised sections. This massive seat cut in M.phil/phd announced by JNU administration is a direct attack on this , and which must be fought back in all respects", reacted another student activist Waseem RS.
A senior university official who did not wish to be named told PTI that "The calculations have been carefully done by the evaluation department and any reduction or increase in the intake has been done within the prescribed norms."
JNU has been witnessing student unrest over various issues for over a year after the incidents of February 9, 2016.
(With Inputs from PTI)
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Centre for African Studies, Centre for East African Studies, Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, Centre for the Study of Discrimination and Exclusion, and Centre for Media Studies will not have any admission this year for the two programmes. Other JNU departments which have reduced the seats include Centre for European Studies (6), Centre for Inner Asian Studies (13), Centre for International Legal Studies (7), Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (37), Centre for West Asian Studies (11), Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies (35), Centre for Arabic Studies (24), Centre for English Studies (13) and Centre for Indian Languages (49).
"The administration has finally made it clear that they are all out to close admissions to the M.Phil/PhD programmes. The number of intake for the upcoming admissions, which are in violation of the approved intake decided in the Academic Council as well as court orders, have been released," said Pratim Ghoshal, JNU student activist told Press Trust of India.
"Research facilities in our public universities are the only available option to higher studies for students from marginalised sections. This massive seat cut in M.phil/phd announced by JNU administration is a direct attack on this , and which must be fought back in all respects", reacted another student activist Waseem RS.
A senior university official who did not wish to be named told PTI that "The calculations have been carefully done by the evaluation department and any reduction or increase in the intake has been done within the prescribed norms."
JNU has been witnessing student unrest over various issues for over a year after the incidents of February 9, 2016.
(With Inputs from PTI)
Click here for Education News
