New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has a problem of "freeloaders" - both overstaying students and illegal guests - and the administration is not cracking down on them, according to its Vice Chancellor Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit.
Speaking to editors at the agency's headquarters, Pandit said he has issued strict instructions to the hostel administration that no student should be allowed to stay in the hostel for more than five years.
Responding to a question on JNU's allegations of allowing freeloaders to live on campus at the expense of taxpayers' money, Pandit said, "You are absolutely right, we have a problem of freeloaders."
The 61-year-old, a former university student herself, said this problem existed even when she was a student but now it has increased.
“When I was there, we had many students who stayed but the number of successful students was very less...JNU also creates some confusion...some students...want everything free and subsidized... Even the Lok Sabha canteen, I think, is costlier than the JNU canteen but in our time the teachers were very strict,'' he said."The professor overseeing my research told me that if you don't complete it in four and a half years, you'll be out. I knew he wouldn't sign my fellowship extension... I think it That has changed over the years, Pandi said, adding, "Some professors allowed such expansion and that's how the numbers have grown today."
Pandit did his MPhil and PhD from JNU from 1985-1990 after completing his master's degree from Presidency College, Chennai.
"There are also people on the campus who are illegal guests, who are not alumni of JNU, but come and live here. They are either preparing for UPSC or other exams... For them, living in JNU is The cheapest place is... in south-west Delhi, where can you get such accommodation with 2,00 acres of greenery and such dhabas and cheap food,'' he asked.On the steps being taken by his administration to address the issue, Pandi said, "Now we are trying to reduce it to a great extent... It is very difficult for us to go into the rooms... We are still We do." While following the rules, we also appeal to the good sense of the students and ask them to at least inform if they are bringing any guest.
"We have also made the hostel administration strict that no student should be allowed to stay for more than five years. We are now making ID cards mandatory... We are asking students to carry ID cards at all times and not ask for permission." But we are asking students to report also because there are students who don't like outsiders," she said.JNU had released a list of dues of over Rs 2.79 crore from hostel residents in 2019, which had created an uproar in various circles. Then the student union had termed this step as an attempt to threaten the students.
The university also saw massive protests in 2019 when it introduced a fee hike.
Allegations of "freeloaders" were also leveled on the campus following the 2019 sedition controversy over "anti-national" slogans raised at the university, which led to the arrest of then student union president Kanhaiya Kumar, among others.
After this, several online petitions were started to stop funding of JNU from taxpayers' money.The administration's efforts to install CCTV on campus and make carrying of ID mandatory have faced opposition from the students' union, which is accusing the university authorities of turning the campus into a "jail".
Speaking to editors at the agency's headquarters, Pandit said he has issued strict instructions to the hostel administration that no student should be allowed to stay in the hostel for more than five years.
Responding to a question on JNU's allegations of allowing freeloaders to live on campus at the expense of taxpayers' money, Pandit said, "You are absolutely right, we have a problem of freeloaders."
The 61-year-old, a former university student herself, said this problem existed even when she was a student but now it has increased.
“When I was there, we had many students who stayed but the number of successful students was very less...JNU also creates some confusion...some students...want everything free and subsidized... Even the Lok Sabha canteen, I think, is costlier than the JNU canteen but in our time the teachers were very strict,'' he said."The professor overseeing my research told me that if you don't complete it in four and a half years, you'll be out. I knew he wouldn't sign my fellowship extension... I think it That has changed over the years, Pandi said, adding, "Some professors allowed such expansion and that's how the numbers have grown today."
Pandit did his MPhil and PhD from JNU from 1985-1990 after completing his master's degree from Presidency College, Chennai.
"There are also people on the campus who are illegal guests, who are not alumni of JNU, but come and live here. They are either preparing for UPSC or other exams... For them, living in JNU is The cheapest place is... in south-west Delhi, where can you get such accommodation with 2,00 acres of greenery and such dhabas and cheap food,'' he asked.On the steps being taken by his administration to address the issue, Pandi said, "Now we are trying to reduce it to a great extent... It is very difficult for us to go into the rooms... We are still We do." While following the rules, we also appeal to the good sense of the students and ask them to at least inform if they are bringing any guest.
"We have also made the hostel administration strict that no student should be allowed to stay for more than five years. We are now making ID cards mandatory... We are asking students to carry ID cards at all times and not ask for permission." But we are asking students to report also because there are students who don't like outsiders," she said.JNU had released a list of dues of over Rs 2.79 crore from hostel residents in 2019, which had created an uproar in various circles. Then the student union had termed this step as an attempt to threaten the students.
The university also saw massive protests in 2019 when it introduced a fee hike.
Allegations of "freeloaders" were also leveled on the campus following the 2019 sedition controversy over "anti-national" slogans raised at the university, which led to the arrest of then student union president Kanhaiya Kumar, among others.
After this, several online petitions were started to stop funding of JNU from taxpayers' money.The administration's efforts to install CCTV on campus and make carrying of ID mandatory have faced opposition from the students' union, which is accusing the university authorities of turning the campus into a "jail".
