Congress targets JNU V-C, alleges appointments she made violate UGC norms. PM anti-education, says Khera

'Two serving teachers appointed professors through direct recruitment, bypassing promotion process... With over 220 appointments in her tenure, scale of irregularities could be greater,' Khera said.

Jawaharlal Nehru University | Commons

New Delhi: The Congress Thursday accused the government of weakening Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), alleging that faculty appointments made under Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit violated mandatory University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.

The allegations were made by Congress media and publicity department chairman and Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera, who claimed the appointments were part of a larger effort by the Centre to undermine the university.

In a post on X, Khera alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “anti-education” and had deliberately sought to weaken JNU.

“It is clear that Modi is anti-education. That’s why the destruction of JNU has long been one of his pet political projects. And appointing Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as Vice Chancellor despite her proven record of ‘moral turpitude’ was part of that project,” he said on X.

Khera alleged that since Pandit took charge in February 2022, JNU had recruited “at least five associate professors and two professors in violation of mandatory UGC regulations”.

“With over 220 faculty appointments made during her tenure, the actual scale of the irregularities could be far greater,” he said.

“At least two serving teachers were appointed as professors through direct recruitment, bypassing the standard promotion process,” he added on X.

Khera also questioned the silence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, both JNU alumni.

“Both the Finance Minister and the External Affairs Minister are JNU alumni. It is a shame that they have acted as mute bystanders while the integrity of their alma mater has been systematically undermined,” he said.

The Congress has repeatedly taken on JNU V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit since she assumed office in February 2022. It initially opposed her appointment, pointing to a past disciplinary inquiry, and has since raised objections over faculty recruitment, administrative decisions, the handling of student protests and disciplinary measures on campus. Most recently, the party demanded action against Pandit over her remarks on caste and the UGC’s equity regulations.

The criticism coming from the Congress is part of the wider accusation that the BJP-led Centre has increasingly interfered in the functioning of public universities.

ThePrint has reached out to V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit on call, whatsapp and through her secretary. This report will be updated if and when she responds.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)