Protests not banned on campus, allowed only at designated areas, JNU clarifies

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has clarified that protests on the campus have not been completely banned and will instead be only allowed in designated areas, an official said on Tuesday after the institute faced flak over its series of stringent measures against staging strikes or dharnas within its boundaries. In a revised manual, the university announced the imposition of a fine of up to Rs 20,000 or expulsion if anyone is found putting up wall posters and staging dharnas within 100 metres of the institute’s academic buildings. While “anti-national” acts will attract a Rs 10,000 fine. “We have not changed anything. These rules were already there in place. We have just introduced a few other regulations to ensure no disruption is caused to the academic process. Students still have the democratic right to protest at designated places,” the official told PTI. The JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Monday shared the Chief Proctor Office manual released in November and it has outlined 28 types of misconducts, including a fine of Rs 10,000 for anti-national slogans, restriction on putting wall posters, staging dharnas within 100 metres of the academic buildings, among other punishable acts that could lead to a fine of up to Rs 20,000 or expulsion from the university. “The stringent measures outlined in the manual are aimed at stifling the vibrant campus culture that has defined JNU for decades. The JNUSU demands that the university administration immediately revoke the new manual of the office of the Chief Proctor Manual,” the students’ union had said. Backing the measures, JNU’s Vice-Chancellor Santishree Pandit said the rules and regulations against misconduct have been in place for long and the manual was made legally sound by getting it approved by the EC. “This is old not new. Passed unanimously by the EC last month as the manual had to be made legally sound. The fines are on the indiscipline of drinking, drugs and misbehavior in hostels and towards women. The proctor’s office since 1969 has been taking action, imposing fines and rustications,” she said. The manual also says that a student who receives five or more punishments during their study will be expelled from the university and will not be allowed to register for the semester until the fine is paid. With inputs from PTI