New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) officially ended its indefinite hunger strike on Friday night, on the 16th day, after the university administration accepted all four of the union’s key demands in a breakthrough meeting held earlier that evening. JNUSU president Nitish Kumar, vice-president Manisha, and general secretary Munteha Fatima represented the student body in the negotiations. Along with vice-chancellor Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, present from the administration were dean of SSS Prof. Vivek Kumar, dean of students Prof. Manuradha Chaudhary, director of admissions Prof. Suneel Kateriya, OSD to the VC Prof. PR Kumaraswamy, and CMO Dr. Fouzia Firdous Ozair.
The university has agreed to form a committee to discuss the reinstatement of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEE). The committee will consider inputs from School-level Faculty Committees (SFCs) and elected councillors. In another key development, the controversial undertaking form for PhD hostel extensions has been withdrawn. Henceforth, extensions will be granted on the basis of recommendations from Research Advisory Committees (RAC). Further, the university’s Registrar will formally write to the Ministry of Education, seeking an increment in the Merit-cum-Means (MCM) scholarship. The Rationalisation Committee formed around MCM matters has also been withdrawn. On the issue of disciplinary actions, the vice-chancellor has assured that appeals seeking revocation of all pending proctorial enquiries will be duly considered.