JNU Students’ Union Hunger Strike Enters Fifth Day, Demands Reinstatement of JNUEE for PhD Admissions

The JNUSU has condemned the university’s decision to rely solely on UGC-NET scores from June 2024 or December 2024, excluding those who took the June 2025 exam.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) continues its indefinite hunger strike, now in its fifth day, protesting the university’s PhD admission policies for the 2025-26 academic session.

The strike, which began on June 26, demands the reinstatement of the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE) for PhD admissions and the inclusion of candidates who appeared for the June 2025 UGC-NET exam, among other grievances.

The JNUSU has condemned the university’s decision to rely solely on UGC-NET scores from June 2024 or December 2024, excluding those who took the June 2025 exam. This move, according to the union, unfairly disqualifies many prospective applicants, particularly recent MA graduates from the 2023 batch. “Many students had been preparing with the assumption that the June 2025 NET would be valid. The administration made this decision without informing anyone in advance,” said JNUSU Vice-President Manisha, who has lost 2.5 kg during the strike.

The union argues that the shift to UGC-NET, with its percentile-based filtering and heavy reliance on viva-voce, is exclusionary and less transparent than the JNUEE, particularly for students from marginalized backgrounds. A referendum held on May 24 showed 93% student support for reinstating the JNUEE. Additional demands include halting the eviction of PhD scholars from hostels before thesis submission, revoking proctorial inquiries against protesting students, and increasing the Merit-cum-Means (MCM) scholarship to Rs 5,000.

Eight students, including JNUSU President Nitish Kumar, Vice-President Manisha, General Secretary Munteha Fatima, and councillors like Abhishek from SFI, are participating in the strike near the Administrative Block.Tensions have escalated as Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit has refused to meet the union unless all four office bearers, including the ABVP-affiliated Joint Secretary Vaibhav Meena, are present. Meena has not joined the strike, as ABVP supports the UGC-NET system, citing its wider reach and diversity in admissions. The Vice-Chancellor has also stated that deans and chairpersons declined to organize the JNUEE last year due to financial constraints, though JNUSU disputes this, claiming many academic units supported its reinstatement.

The JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has criticized the admission process, noting that the exclusion of June 2025 UGC-NET candidates and delays in the academic calendar create inequities. Meanwhile, JNU has proceeded with PhD applications (open until July 7), with viva-voce exams scheduled for July 25–31 and the first merit list due on August 11.

The administration’s response remains pending, with a proposed stakeholders’ meeting postponed to after July 2.

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