Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit strongly refuted recruitment scam allegations.
The JNU administration revealed that over 70 per cent of the 200-plus appointments made since February 2022 belong to SC, ST, and OBC categories.
A multi-member selection committee, including subject experts and a nominee of the President of India, oversees the transparent recruitment process.
JNU has rejected recruitment scam allegations with Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit terming the accusations a "fake malicious campaign". Some media outlets pushed misleading stories using "false, distorted, selective, or unsubstantiated" details, Pandit told ANI.
She defended the university's hiring process under her leadership as highly transparent, especially for SC/ST and OBC candidates.
The JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and the JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) ran a politically motivated campaign against her, Pandit said. "No evidence, only fake propaganda," she added.
University Defends Selection Process
The JNU hiring data supports this stance. Since February 2022, the administration has interviewed over 400 applicants and selected more than 200 candidates, JNU stated. Nearly 70 per cent of these recruits belong to marginalised and reserved categories, the university informed.
A multi-member selection committee carries out recruitment. This committee consists of three subject experts drawn from panels approved by the relevant Centres or Schools, a nominee of the President of India, the concerned Dean and the Vice-Chancellor. The Academic Council subsequently approves the candidates recommended by the selection committee.
The Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) then evaluates candidate qualifications and research papers following University Grants Commission (UGC) rules, JNU stated. This unit plays no role in the final interviews, the university informed. To validate research papers, the IQAC tracks publications through Web of Science, Scopus, Impact Factor and the JNU Academic Index, while assessing other papers independently.
The university dismissed questions about candidates' marital or family connections. Being married to or related to a staff member neither qualifies nor disqualifies an applicant, the administration stated.
Promotions and Document Leaks
The university cleared almost 250 promotion files under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) between February 2022 and March 2026, JNU informed. Several of these applications had languished unresolved since 2006, the administration stated.
Insiders leaked the private papers with the administration stating that campus members selectively distributed restricted files cited in news coverage for "personal gains and vendetta".
Students Union Alleges Corruption
The JNUSU stated in a release that political links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and corruption guided these selections.
These anomalies went beyond academic roles. The union stated that recruitment discrepancies also plagued administrative posts and security guard contracts. The Vice-Chancellor's administration had normalized these corrupt activities, the union informed.
(With Inputs From ANI)
