Return to offline classes the 1st challenge: Students, staff

Pandit, a JNU alumna, is the university’s first woman vice-chancellor. She did her MPhil and PhD from the School of International Studies at JNU between 1986 and 1990.

The appointment of Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the new vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday evoked mixed responses with many saying that her academic experience will help the institution as it transitions from online classes to offline learning.

 (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Pandit, a JNU alumna, is the university’s first woman vice-chancellor. She did her MPhil and PhD from the School of International Studies at JNU between 1986 and 1990.

Vibha Tandon, who teaches at JNU’s Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, said Pandit will be well-versed with the university, and added that institution will gain from her experience. “We hope that the new VC takes the university to greater heights. She should be able to resolve the various issues that the university has faced in the recent past through her experience in various capacities. She understands the university’s system well,” said Tandon.

Students expressed the hope that the new VC would not only be able to address the academic challenges that have emerged in the light of pandemic, but also minimise conflict between student groups and the administration over various issues.

Priyance Gautam, 22, a final year MA political science student at JNU, said there were many expectations from the new VC particularly due to the disruption in learning caused by the pandemic. “We expect the new VC to steer the university in a better direction since the pandemic has derailed academics. We hope that the strife between various student groups on the campus is reduced, and focus is brought back on academics,” said Gautam.

Farhat Salim, a research scholar at JNU, said since the varsity has not seen a lot of activity in the past few years due to the pandemic, one of the key challenges before the VC would be to ensure that academic activity on campus picks up pace. “Offline classes are being initiated from today. We will have to see how academic activities on campus take place under the tenure of the new VC,” said Salim.

He added that JNU catered to people from economically weaker and marginalised groups but its commitment towards the vulnerable sections of the society had deteriorated.

“It’s important to restore the university’s credentials as an institute of social science research. Under the tenure of Jagadesh Kumar, courses in engineering and MBA were started but JNU continues to be known for social science research. The new VC should ensure that focus on social science research is amplified,” said Salim, a final year Phd student at the Centre of Law and Governance.