Right vs Left, academics first casualty in Jawaharlal Nehru University

As the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) replaced over half-a-dozen politically Left-leaning and Centrist chairpersons of various centres, ostensibly citing their dissidence on the now-mandatory attendance system, sources told DNA that the real reason was to facilitate a massive wave of new right-wing appointments in the varsity leaving no scope for controversy in the coming year.

In several cases of recent appointments, especially in the Centre of the School of Social Sciences (SSS), a controversy had erupted as several department heads, called the centre chairpersons in JNU, and gave dissenting notes citing academic inadequacy of selected candidates. They were allegedly pushed through by the JNU administration under pressure and recommendations from the ruling regime.

A case in point is the Centre for Historical Studies (CHS) where seven positions have already been advertised and five professors are up for retirement this year, taking the tally to 12. Given JNU's status, this is a big number. Sources within the BJP and its student arm Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) told DNA that chairpersons were removed -- CHS head Sucheta Mahajan too was among the replaced -- so that right-leaning candidates could be pushed in.

"Chairpersons have a crucial role to play when it comes to appointments. In many cases, they gave dissenting notes when someone from our ideological affiliation and background was appointed and that led to a controversy. Why do that?" said a highly-placed ABVP functionary.

Meanwhile, the developments have caused some unease within some right-wing quarters. "JNU is an academic institution which must not be made an arena of political fights when it comes to educational standards and appointments. While the rightwing wants to undo the predominant Left-Congress presence among the JNU teachers, academic standards must be kept in mind in appointments from among the 'Parivar'," said a former JNU ABVP activist.

Eight chairpersons were recently removed, including CHS, Centre for Economics (CESP), Centre for Studies in Comparative Politics and Political Thought in the School of International Studies (SIS) and few centres in the School of Languages (SL).

Added to the raging controversies, including the sexual molestation case lodged against rightwing sympathising Professor Atul K Johri, allegations have also surfaced that the new Centre for Engineering that is coming up in the university might be used to shift some teaching positions from other centres to it.