JNU agrees to key demands of students

New Delhi: JNU administration on Monday said it has written to UGC to increase the merit-cum-means scholarship, one of the key demands of the agitating students. JNUSU claimed that the administration has decided to reinstate JNU Entrance Exam (JNUEE) for admissions to the university. The administration has also agreed to conduct a caste census of the campus, according to JNUSU.

The administration, according to the protesters, assured the students that it would publish the category-wise data of JNU students, faculty and staff within the next 15 days.

"We met the students and told them that the VC has written to UGC to increase the McM scholarship and assured them that we are taking their demands into consideration as per the rules of the university," Manuradha Chaudhary, dean of students at JNU, told TOI.

Later in the day, JNU administration said in a statement: "JNUSU had been insisting that at least two of its demands be fulfilled. However, the administration has agreed to several of its requests. These include the opening of PSR gate, issuing notification to conduct SFC elections, and appealing to UGC and Centre to increase student scholarship funds." It added that the administration was committed to organising caste and gender sensitisation workshops on the campus.

The students were demanding an increase in the merit-cum-means scholarship amounts from Rs 2,000 to at least Rs 5,000. They also demanded the lifting of the ban on campus protests and the withdrawal of proctorial inquiries initiated against students for participating in the protests.

JNU students' union president Dhananjay, who claimed to have lost more than 5kg after 345 hours without food, said his health was stable despite developing some pre-jaundice symptoms and confirmed that they were given medical attention whenever required from the university's health centre.

At least two students of JNU were continuing their indefinite fast against the administration for the 16th consecutive day on Monday evening, while three others had withdrawn following their deteriorating health conditions.