Jawaharlal Nehru University (File photo)NEW DELHI: Following Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice-chancellor Santishree D Pandit’s comments on apprehensions around the multiple-choice-questions pattern for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), the JNU Teachers’ Forum has issued a statement, claiming that the VC was in “collusion with agents of chaos”. The teachers’ forum said that her comments regarding an appeal to the government to change the pattern of the exam for post-graduate entrances reflected that the VC “has been appropriated by the Marxist group of so-called intellectuals”. Pandit had earlier stated that an MCQ-based entrance examination was not enough for post-graduate aspirants as it could not test qualitative aspects, such as analytical, language and writing skills. In the statement issued, the teachers’ forum said, “JNUTF is utterly disappointed to read the statement by the vice-chancellor of the university and voices its strong disagreement with the tone and tenor of the statement. JNUTF also maintains that it is not only a political statement aimed at achieving ulterior motives, but also undermines the idea of academic unity of the nation envisioned in the National Education Policy. JNUTF wishes to put on record that the opinion of the vice-chancellor is shared only by a handful of teachers devoted to disruptive communist ideology.” Pandit could not be reached for a comment on the matter. The varsity, during previous VC M. Jagadesh Kumar, who is now the chairman of the University Grants Commission, had adopted the CUET for its post-graduate admissions. Earlier, JNU used to have its own entrance examination, which for the last couple of years was being conducted by the NTA. The JNUTF further stated, “There was a hope that she (Pandit) would work for the liberation of the Indian education system from the clutches of the Eurocentric, elitists and anti-India academics masquerading as scholars. With the approach and stance of the new VC, our hopes seem to be fast receding. It is unfortunate that without giving the new system of examination a proper space and climate to flourish, the VC is all set to follow a regressive trajectory and has started to lead JNU in the direction that is against the preamble of the NE.” “Does the vice-chancellor wish to convey that the students who joined JNU in the last four years lack writing and other requisite abilities? Has she conducted any survey in this regard before making such a sweeping statement? The timing of the statement also smacks of some kind of ill-intent against the JNU students.” FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebookTwitterInstagramKOO APPYOUTUBE
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-section-of-jnu-teachers-slams-vc-over-cuet/articleshow/93700664.cms
