JNU students boycott exams, administration searches options for foreign nationals

Delhi High Court on Wednesday banned any kind of protest within the 100-meter radius of the Administrative Block of the Jawaharlal Nehru University that houses offices of the Vice Chancellor and Registrar etc.

The agitating students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) boycotted the semester examination which commenced on Thursday. In a statement, the students' union of the university – JNUSU – reiterated its demand for complete roll back of the hotel fee hike.

"JNU united shall always be victorious! Students show exemplary unity in the face of intimidation, violence and a barrage of threats in the form of circulars. Exams boycotted throughout JNU from SSS, SL, SIS, SPS, SAA to SCIS, SES, Nano Science and CSLG," said JNUSU in a statement on Thursday. However, students in some faculties such as School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies (SSIS) and Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship reportedly appeared in the examinations.

Pathetic & desperate ploys being used by the JNU Admin to break students' unity.Utter lie being spread about exams having taken place in JNU.The exam boycott has received overwhelming success throughout the University. Fearmongering won't work. The fight is on. #FeesMustFall

— JNUSU (@JNUSUofficial) December 12, 2019

Meanwhile, JNU Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar wrote a letter to the deans of all the schools to find out alternative means semester examination for the foreign students in the campus. "Additional assignments, sessionals, term-papers may be given to them in lieu of end semester examinations," suggested Kumar arguing that they will face problems after their visa is expired.

The Vice Chancellor along with senior officials of the university also had a meeting with hostel presidents of 18 hostels. After the meeting the administration and JNUSU both were stick to their respective stands – the administration expressed its commitment to facilitate students who wish to appear in the examinations while JNUSU reiterated its call to boycott the exams until students' demands are fulfilled.

In a major relief to the university administration on Wednesday, Delhi High Court ordered complete ban on any kind of protest within the 100-meter periphery of administrative building. The court also directed Delhi police to ensure that the prohibited area is cordoned off and the right of entry and exist of any person in the administration building is not violated under any circumstance.