Administration blocks registration of 20 JNU students for new academic session

With Wednesday being the last day for registration for the next session in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the future of more than 20 students, who were fined and barred from any academic process, is at stake. So far till Tuesday, University administration officials have barred the registration of these students.

Earlier, the University administration imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on all four JNUSU office-bearers and two other student activists. Besides this, a fine of Rs 10,000 had been imposed on many other student activists for participating in several protests and creating 'indiscipline' at the campus.

"This is a sheer example of harassment of students by the JNU administration. The Chief Proctor's office is not clearing the registration process of those who have paid their fines," said JNU Students Union (JNUSU) general Secretary Satarupa Chakraborty.

JNUSU had also conducted a mass fund collection drive in a bid to retain the studentship of those who were fined. "I also paid my fine of Rs 20,000 on Monday but the administration has not cleared my registration form as of now," she said.

Meanwhile, the student's union has also decided that the JNUSU president Mohit Pandey will not pay the fine but fight for registration. "We tried to have a dialogue with the chief proctor but did not get any response. If the administration will not allow our registration by Wednesday afternoon, we will have to resort to other means," Chakraborty said, adding they will follow the legal course of action in Pandey's case.

Earlier on Monday night, agitated students carried out a march in the campus followed by a protest at the administration building.

Campus clash

JNU has been in the eye of the storm since Sunday after the Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar triggered the “nationalism” debate after he requested Union Minister and former Army Chief VK Singh to help bring an Army tank on campus to instil patriotism among students