JOINT Statement on the Implementation of OBC Reservation in JNU at all Level in the Faculty Recruitment

JOINT Statement on the Implementation of OBC Reservation at all Level in the Faculty Recruitment

 

Yet again JNU administration has betrayed OBC reservation in faculty positions – at associate professor and professor level. The recent advertisement (ADVT. NO. RC/44/2012) for the recruitment of faculties at associate professor and professor level has not marked quota for OBC reservation, though it has marked reservation for SC/ST.  This is in clear violation of Article 16(4) of the Constitution which states, “Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State.” But the casteist forces of JNU and other University administration are using such a tactics and convenient logic to deny the constitutional rights of the socially deprived community by some time making reference to government policy and sometime to the UGC guideline. Since the opening of this university there has been no OBC reservation in faculty positions at any level. It is the glittering fact that there is a dearth of OBC faculties in the campus. In spite of making effort to ensure the OBC reservation in positions of faculty, there have been deliberate attempts to scuttle the OBC reservation in the faculty recruitment by the administration. After long fight with administration and persuading Academic Council, OBC vacancies at assistant level have been filled in last recruitment - ADVT. NO. RC/42/2011.

When some of us met the rector and enquired about the anomalies in the OBC reservation in faculty appointment, she informed that we are following UGC Guideline and there are no lapses or contradictions in following the stipulated rules and regulations. When we further asked rector that Central University of Kerala and Central University of Orissa are giving OBC reservation at all level, is it that UGC is issuing different directives to different central universities, she replied that ‘we do not know’ how they are giving such reservation. She also said that if we do not follow UGC guideline in faculty recruitment, we will face the difficulty in making payment to the faculties. As per our knowledge UGC does not give financial aid under the particular head, it is up to the university to decide how to spend it. Here it is very conspicuous that JNU administration is interpreting GOI and UGC directives in a particular manner to suit their own casteist interests and though it is quite possible to provide the OBC reservation at all level in the faculty recruitment. They are misinterpreting the entry level to provide OBC reservation and UGC also helped in abetting this confusion more. This entry level in order to give reservation is being narrowed down to only assistant professor level whereas in the direct recruitment of associate professor or professor is to be understood as entry level except in promotion. The recent IIT Kanpur has advertised for the faculty recruitment and clearly said that OBC reservation will be given at the entry without saying that it is only at assistant professor level. It shows how indifferent attitude they have regarding the social justice, in spite of enquiring to know how the other universities are providing OBC reservation regarding to doing the same in JNU, they are doing away with such responsibility.

The fight for social justice needs to be sharpened and continued, as administration is putting one after another roadblocks to scuttle the social justice. We are of the clear view that to realize social justice, reservation is to be given at all level of faculty positions which is mandatory to ensure the representation of Socially Backward Communities. Though, some of the central universities like, Central University of Kerala and Central University of Orissa do provide OBC reservations in their faculty recruitment at all level. But JNU is still pursuing arbitrariness and highhandedness in faculty recruitment and going against the spirit of Constitution.

The undersigned organizations urge JNUSU to take up this issue with utmost seriousness and forge the struggle for social justice and get implemented OBC quota at all level in faculty appointment.

 

AISA, AISF, DSF, DSU , SFI, SFR, UDSF, and CONCERNED STUDENTS