Distraught by the present state of affairs in their own university, more than 50 teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have rallied behind the administration in support of “compulsory” attendance. This group of teachers, from different schools and background, expressed grave concern on the ongoing agitation against mandatory attendance steered by JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA), terming it a “set-back” to the image the JNU.

“With this, the face of alternative narrative seems to stand tall among the teaching community of the JNU, which traditionally follows JNUTA,” said a teacher.

“We, the teachers, have gathered courage to stand against the JNUTA and the JNUSU, who are misleading the common students. What we care for is the interest of common students who still want to attend classes and lectures, take part in practical classes, study sincerely. Ironically, for last two months, the university is suffering loss and disruption due to the ongoing agitation,” said a senior Professor who is also a Dean, requesting anonymity.

“People from other States like Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will develop very negative perception about JNU. They will think that strikes and lockdowns are day-to-day affairs in JNU and classes and studies are secondary,” said JNU Professor Atul Kumar Johri.

Also, he said only a handful of teachers, who constitute not more than 20 per cent, are instigating students to participate in the protest against the administration in lieu of opposing compulsory attendance.

Another senior Professor said those, who are leading the protest from the forefront, are actually least bothered about the issue of mandatory attendance and what matters to them is their ‘politics’.

While on the other hand, the JNUTA in its Press conference said the administration is imposing compulsory attendance just to divert the attention from the real issue of reeling infrastructure and lack of basic amenities in its various schools. However, officials out-rightly deny these allegations calling them ‘unbelievable’ and an “utter lie”.

“Had it been so, any Dean or Chairperson of Centre would have informed the administration about it or have raised such issues. The issue of space and maintenance of basic amenities is dealt by the administration effectively and such allegations are only bogus,” said the JNU official.

“They actually want to project that they are the real saviors of the rights of students and will go to any extent for it. At the same time they are also falsely projecting that administration is working against the interest of student community by bringing in the mandatory attendance,” said the Professor, adding that a faction of Left has defied every reasoning and logic and continues to protest.

Another senior Professor Amita Singh said the strength of those who rallied behind JNUSU and JNUTA has drastically fallen and now it’s hard for them to find even 200 students for agitation out of more than 8,000 students studying in JNU.

“The common students have actually understood their hidden motive and have started to abstain themselves from joining their protest and rally calls. This is bound to happen when you repeatedly create false narrative about something and mislead the students for serving your interests and narrow ends,” said Professor Amita.