Will not sack JNU VC, says HRD Secretary

New Delhi: There was no question of sacking JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, HRD secretary Amit Khare has said though officials asserted that the VC should implement the formula decided during negotiations last month for ending the student protest over hike in fees. “Removing the VC is not the solution. The basic issue on which the whole problem has arisen needs to be addressed first. Changing X, Y or Zis not as important as resolving the issues that have come up...,” Khare said after a “constructive and positive” meeting on Thursday with JNU students at the ministry.

However, the government is unhappy over students seeking an audience with President Ram Nath Kovind, said an official. Khare is scheduled to continue talks with representatives of students on Friday but the move to meet the President prompted an official to say the government felt it showed “non-seriousness of the students in solving the issue. It was rather an effort to play politics by escalating the matter.” Students justified their demand to meet the President as he is the university Visitor. Police detained a group of students on Thursday evening while they tried to march to Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Varsity officials, including the VC have been called at the HRD ministry on Friday to discuss students’ complaint that the compromise formula worked out by Khare’s predecessor Subrahmanyam was not implemented. “We will talk to the university administration to ensure that the fees changes decided last month are implemented. We are working on resolving the issues. It is a prestigious university and should remain that way,” Khare said.


Kumar, however, denied students’ claims that the formula arrived at the ministry was not implemented. “As far as the fee issue is concerned, there has been no deviation from the formula. As decided, students are not being charged any services or utility fees,” he told PTI.