SC & ST backlog vacancies: JNU slams JNUTA over letter to MHRD

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Wednesday slammed the university's Teachers' Association (JNUTA) for its letter written to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on SC and ST backlog vacancies, saying this was done to malign the reputation of the university.

"The JNU administration strongly denies that it has undermined the national policy of SC/ST reservation in the matter of faculty recruitment. The JNU administration asserts that it has duly complied with the applicable reservation rules of Government of India," said the statement from the varsity's Registrar.

JNUTA in a letter to MHRD had said that 85 positions remained unfilled and therefore constituted backlog vacancies reserved for SCs & STs. Raising the issue JNUTA said: "In other words, 85 positions remained unfilled and therefore constituted backlog vacancies reserved for SCs & STs in the two cadres at the time RC/60/2019 and RC/61/2019 were issued in 2019. These advertisements made it clear that candidates who had applied earlier in response were required to apply afresh – indicating that the same posts advertised earlier were being re-advertised through RC 60 and RC 61."

The administration, meanwhile, said that no teaching posts have been de-reserved, and the reservation for SC/ST has been given as per their share within the available vacant posts. "The university is committed to making sure

that the applicable SC/ST reservations are strictly implemented in the faculty recruitments," it added.

JNUTA had also said that they have received several complaints from faculty at different Centers with regard to the latest rounds of advertisement for Professor and Associate Professor level faculty positions in JNU. However, the admin has denied all the allegations.