Vice-Chancellor Santosh Dhulipudi Pandit of Jawaharlal Nehru University refuted claims regarding violations in the hiring and promotion processes for faculty members, labeling all accusations as 'false propaganda.'
This response followed demands from the JNU Students' Union and the JNU Faculty Association for her removal, insisting on an independent investigation into alleged irregularities in university hiring and promotion procedures.
Pandit stated in her declaration: 'Despite the most transparent and record-breaking intakes, especially among SC/ST and OBC representatives in the university over the last four and a half years of my tenure as Vice-Chancellor, I have become the target of a malicious campaign by JNUSU and JNUTA. There is no evidence, only false propaganda.'
JNU Administration Defends Hiring Process
The university administration reported that over 400 interviews were conducted with faculty members since February 2022, and more than 200 vacancies were filled. It was stated that nearly 70 percent of these appointed staff belong to reserved and marginalized categories.
Furthermore, the administration noted that it had received no complaints from candidates regarding the interview process. According to university data, selection committees consist of three experts in the relevant fields, a Visitor's representative, the corresponding Dean, and the Vice-Chancellor. Subsequently, candidates selected by the committee are approved by the Academic Council.
JNU indicated that the Internal Quality Assurance Cell checks the qualifications and publication records of candidates during the screening stage but does not participate in the final selection through interviews. The administration added that checking publications can be particularly complex in the humanities and social sciences due to differences in databases and verification systems. This, they said, might explain cases where some candidates who passed preliminary screening by centers ultimately did not reach the interview stage, while others who initially failed screening were later invited.
Students and Faculty Raise Questions with UGC
JNUSU asserted that recent media reports raised questions about the return of candidates to the selection process, despite subject matter experts having rejected them due to alleged non-compliance with the mandatory requirements of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
JNUTA, in a separate demand statement published on Thursday, claimed that an investigation based on RTI responses, official records, and Executive Council disagreements showed that at least seven faculty members were appointed in violation of UGC norms. The university rejected these allegations, maintaining that the hiring process complied with established procedures.
University Rejects Concerns Over Promotions and Nepotism
Regarding faculty promotions, JNU reported that approximately 250 applications under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) were processed since February 2022. These applications included cases awaiting review since 2006, which the administration called the highest number of CAS promotions since the university's founding.
The administration also dismissed concerns about familial or supervisory ties in appointments. It was emphasized that the existence of family or marital relationships cannot be considered either a qualification or a disqualification for employment. Similarly, the university stated that the fact that a person was a former student of the head does not automatically constitute a violation of UGC requirements regarding publications.
Overall, JNU insists that its hiring and promotion procedures have been conducted fairly and in accordance with prescribed regulations.
