Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), long celebrated as one of India’s premier academic institutions, is facing what its teachers describe as a “deepening governance crisis.” A new report by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) claims the university has strayed from its foundational academic values and moved towards what it calls a “vice chancellor-centric” model of governance.
The report, titled “JNU: The State of the University,” paints a worrying picture of how the institution’s internal systems have changed over the last decade. It alleges that the spirit of collective decision-making — once a hallmark of JNU’s academic culture — has gradually been replaced by centralized control and administrative discretion.
“In the last one decade, the terms ‘governance’ and ‘leadership’ have been turned on their heads to acquire rather ominous meanings,” the report states. “From being a ‘public’ institution in which the quest for knowledge thrives, the university has been steadily pushed in the direction of being reduced to an expression of the vice chancellor’s persona.”
Among the most serious concerns highlighted in the report is the alleged breakdown of JNU’s long-standing tradition of collegial governance. The JNUTA notes that the system of rotation by seniority — earlier used to appoint chairpersons and deans — has been discontinued. In its place, the report claims, a “discretionary appointment” system has taken root, where selections depend on administrative preference rather than transparent procedure. Several senior professors, it adds, have been overlooked in these appointments, further deepening discontent within the faculty community.
Recruitment irregularities and unfilled vacancies
The report also raises red flags about the university’s recruitment process. Between February 2022 and August 2025, selection committees were reportedly formed for 326 faculty vacancies. However, only 184 of these positions resulted in actual appointments. For 133 posts, the committees declared that “no suitable candidate” was found — a justification that JNUTA calls questionable, given the large pool of qualified applicants in Indian academia.
These delays and inconsistencies, the association argues, have created academic disruptions across several departments, adding pressure on existing faculty and impacting the quality of teaching and research.
Falling diversity and representation
Equally troubling is the reported decline in the representation of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students. Between 2021–22 and 2024–25, the number of SC students at JNU reportedly fell from 1,500 to 1,143, while ST student numbers declined from 741 to 545. This drop, according to JNUTA, places the university below the mandated reservation levels — undermining its long-standing reputation as a socially inclusive campus.
Faculty members say this decline reflects both structural barriers and a shift in institutional priorities. “The reduction in representation from marginalized communities goes against the very spirit of JNU,” the report remarks, suggesting that admission policies and academic outreach have not kept pace with constitutional mandates.
Sharp drop in research and academic spending
The report further highlights a significant fall in research enrolments and expenditure — two crucial indicators of a university’s academic health. JNU’s total research enrolments, which stood at 5,432 in 2016–17, have dropped to 3,286 in 2024–25. At the same time, academic expenditure has seen an alarming decline, from ₹38.37 crore in 2017–18 to ₹19.29 crore in 2024–25.
According to the JNUTA, this fall reflects a shift in institutional priorities, where the emphasis has moved from nurturing a vibrant research culture to focusing on administrative control and image management. “Academic freedom and intellectual inquiry have taken a back seat to bureaucratic convenience,” the report claims.
University yet to respond
As of now, JNU has not issued any official response to the allegations raised in the JNUTA report. However, the findings have already sparked discussions among current and former students, many of whom see them as symptomatic of a broader trend of centralization within Indian higher education.
For an institution that once stood as a symbol of democratic engagement and intellectual independence, the concerns outlined by JNUTA point to a sobering reality. The report concludes with an appeal for restoring transparency, inclusivity, and academic integrity — values that once defined JNU’s character but, according to the teachers’ body, are now at risk of being lost.
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