JNUTA Alleges Only 74 Research Seats Offered from Total 139

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has revealed data according to which only 53% i.e. 74 Seats were offered from139 seats for the Research Degree Programs M.Phil and Ph.D. 2017-18. JNUTA further stated that the JNU administration this time scrapped the constitutional relaxations to reserved categories.

Apparently, only 2 SC, 2 ST, and 13 OBC candidates have been offered admissions taking the total to 17 Reserved Category seats being offered.

In a statement released by JNUTA, it said, “this shortfall in offers is not because of a paucity of applications, as in each Centre/School for which information is available, there were enough applications. In most cases, there were enough candidates called for the viva-voce. Yet, shockingly, only 53% of the seats specified in the intake have been offered.”

According to the data shown by JNUTA, the Centre for Russian Studies showed an intake of 8 in the e-prospectus, for which 6 candidates had appeared for viva-voce however only 3 candidates were offered admission. Another similar case being, the School of Computer and Systems Sciences, which had an intake of 25 but only 3 seats were offered after the Viva-Voce. Candidates can check the number of intake as per the official e-prospectus for admissions in JNU M.Phil. and Ph.D. Degree Programs 2017-18 below:

https://admissions.jnu.ac.in/Prospectus/JNUEE/MPhil-PhD%20intake.pdf

Another point highlighted by JNUTA is that the administration made minimum 50% Score in Written Test as the Qualifying criteria which resulted in diminishing the number of candidates for final selection. Moreover, no relaxation was given to the backward sections of the society, speaking for which JNUTA President Ayesha Kidwai said, “The decision not to give any relaxations for social disadvantage in the 50% qualifying marks (at the entrance level) has proved to be disastrous for social justice.

It is safe to conclude, given the final numbers, that hardly any SC, ST, OBC candidates made it to the viva. The ones that did, undoubtedly suffered further by the completely unwarranted decision to abandon the deprivation points system for research admissions,”