Amid financial constraints, JNU to hold its entrance exam only for two PhD courses
'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 examination.UGC 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.
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