The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) will hold a student referendum on Tuesday across all schools of the university to seek the mandate of students “on whether the vice chancellor should be removed.”
Former members of the JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) will monitor the process, and results are expected on Wednesday. No response was immediately received from the JNU VC's office.
“Taking into account the casteist remarks made by the JNU VC recently, the referendum will open the field for students to express their opinion on whether the VC should continue to remain in her position or be removed. The voices of the students will be heard,” former JNUSU president Nitish Kumar told PTI.
JNUSU and JNU have been involved in multiple controversies in recent months. Protests began in early February after the university suspended four JNUSU office bearers, along with former president Kumar, for two semesters.
The suspension cited “extensive damage to university property” during a November 21, 2025, protest at the Dr B R Ambedkar Central Library.
Following this, protests continued demanding revocation of the suspension order. Clashes between Left and Right-wing students escalated, along with criticism of the JNU VC for alleged casteist remarks.
A JNUSU statement said, “All this reached its crescendo with the police detaining more than 50 students and arresting 14 of them for marching to MoE (Ministry of Education) demanding UGC (University Grants Commission) regulations, funds and resignation of VC for her casteist remarks. The JNU-14 had to spend three days in Tihar Jail, and the VC made no statement condemning the police.”
JNUSU members added that in the absence of any action by authorities, despite repeated complaints by former JNUSU president Kumar to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) seeking disciplinary action against the VC, and repeated demands from students and teachers to the MoE for clarification, the referendum has been called to intensify the movement.
JNUSU vice president Gopika K. Babu said on Monday, “We will not remain silent. The VC has attacked our dignity and self-respect. The fight for her removal from the post of Vice Chancellor will not stop.”
