Students Disrupted Semester Registration, Cut Off Power: JNU Admin

The administration block in JNU.

(Photo courtesy: jnu.ac.in)

The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration on Friday, 3 January, alleged that some students wearing masks forcibly switched off the power supply to make the "servers dysfunctional" and hamper the semester exam registration process.

The administration warned it will take strict action against the students.

The JNU administration said the agitating students “have crossed all boundaries of decency and discipline, and appear determined to cause as much damage to the academic interests of their fellow students as possible”.

"At around 1 pm on 3 January, a group of students using masks on their faces forcibly entered the office of centre for information system, switched off the power supply, forcibly evicted all the technical staff and made the servers dysfunctional," the varsity said.

The registration process was hampered, Registrar Pramod Kumar said.

"These agitating students always swear on democracy, civil rights and the right to protest, but their real action reflects a tendency to damage and disrupt," he said, adding that strict disciplinary action will be taken in the matter.

The semester registration process started on 1 January and will end on 5 January.

Many students in JNU are protesting against the hike in hostel fees for over two months and some have called for a boycott of the exam registration process.

“Masked” Security Guards Attacked Students: JNUSU

JNUSU said the administration used "masked" security guards to attack students.

"They were shamefully wearing masks. JNUSU president was openly slapped by one of the security guards," alleged the students' union, which has called for a boycott of the process over the increase in hostel fees.

The JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) condemned the incidents of violence at the university.

"While condemning the violence and appealing to all to maintain peace and preserve the democratic culture of the University, the JNUTA notes the dubious role of the JNU administration whose acts of commission and omission are chiefly responsible for creating this situation," it said.

Instead of discharging its responsibility to prevent violence, the administration appears to be going down the "dangerous path" of provoking and encouraging it, it added.

A varsity official said they have given police complaints in connection with the action of the students. The university said it will make every attempt to help students register for the winter semester and continue their academic pursuits.

"The university has also announced an alternate way of registering for the winter semester to make it easy for the students to register," it said in a statement.

According to university registrar Pramod Kumar, they will make the entire registration process online so that students will not have to visit the schools to take the signatures of the deans.Officials said since the servers have been left disarray, it might take time to restore them and the varsity is mulling to extend the registration deadline. However, a final decision is yet to be taken.

"The agitating students cannot trample upon the fundamental rights of the rest of the student community to pursue their studies. Such hooliganism and uncivilised behaviour by them has seriously affected the image of the university," the varsity said.

The administration appealed to the student community not to be misled by the agitators and their advisers, who are trying to "derail the normal functioning of the university through their unlawful actions".