New Delhi: Reports say that prominent historian, Romila Thapar, would not send her CV to the administration of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as she says that she was Professor Emerita at the JNU, an honor extended for lifetime. In addition, the teachers’ association of JNU is trying to create a controversy out of a non-issue by picturing it as politically motivated.
However, the JNU administration has clarified that the according to the rulebook of the University they had to write to all those emeritus professors who have attained the age of 75.
Reports say that while refusing not to comply with the University rules, she said, “No, I don’t intend to send them my CV. They have contradicted themselves in the letter they sent to me. When the status was originally conferred, it was stated that this was a lifetime honour. They are going back on that, negating what they originally wrote. They have changed the rules and are applying them retrospectively.”
Meanwhile, JNU Teacher’s Association (JNUTA) was quick to latch on to the issue and tried to picture the technical procedures as ‘politically motivated’ said that it was a deliberate attempt to try and dishonour those who have been critical of current administration.
Clearing the confusion the Education Secretary of the Human Resource Department, R. Subrahmanyam, tweeted, “Discussed with JNU Vice-Chancellor about the controversy regarding Professor Emeritus status in JNU. There is no move to discontinue Professor Emeritus status to anyone, especially respected academicians; only provisions of Ordinance are being followed.”
