A dalit professor in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has alleged that he has been denied promotion despite a majority of the Selection Committee members approving it, triggering a controversy . The JNU Teacherss Association (JNUTA) has threatened to approach the SC/ST Commission against the vice chancellor.
A statement by the JNUTA has said there is no legal basis for the denial of promotion for Saitya Brata Das, an associate professor at the Centre for English Studies.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Das has alleged that his “different caste” or differing “political views” may be the reason behind the denial of promotion.
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The JNUTA said “both the Centre and Dr Das had reason to be confident (for the promotion), as the past four years had been a period of extraordinary productivity for Dr Das".
“Dr Das’s interview went exceedingly well, and the three experts invited to evaluate his contributions were well satisfied,” the association said, adding, “The JNU vice-chancellor, Mr Jagadesh Kumar, however, had quite a different agenda.”
“The JNUTA cannot fathom whether this victimisation by the JNU vice-chancellor is because of caste and/or other suspected political differences — that is for the VC to explain — but its net effect is one of flouting the Statutes and Rules of JNU with the sole intent to discriminate against an individual.
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The JNUTA demands that the vice-chancellor reconvene the same Selection Committee within a period of two weeks to re-evaluate Das’s application for promotion to CAS. Failing this, JNUTA shall, along with Das, file complaints of discrimination by the vice-Chancellor to all available bodies, including the SC/ST Commission,” said the association.
