EC cut students' welfare fund by 80% without discussion, says JNUTA

New Delhi: The Executive Council of the Jawaharlal Nehru University here, the apex decision-making body of the varsity has cut student spending by 80 per cent. The Jawaharlal Nehru University teachers association (JNUTA) has alleged that the administration on Monday conducted a meeting of the EC and passed several decisions, including a reduction in financial assistance to students to attend seminars, without any discussion.

In a statement, the teachers' body said, "JNUTA has learned as to how the vice-chancellor literally rushed through the agendas, which contained important items, without allowing some of the elected representatives a chance to speak...While the autocratic style is unethical by itself, the fact that it is being done by a vice-chancellor whose term is officially coming to an end, renders it all the more troubling."

Meanwhile, the elected teacher representative of the executive council, Atul Sood has written a letter to the teachers saying that these decisions of the EC are disputed and it is harmful to the future of students and teachers.

"The only way for any member to speak, or even to communicate his/her desire to speak to the chair, was to raise his/her hand in front of the camera. Our hands were ignored for virtually every agenda item by the chair in both the meetings held so far," he said.

Sood alleged that several decisions were passed without any discussion and

debate.