Official sources informed that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is likely to open a School of Indian Traditional Music and Dance in the university. The proposal for opening a school for Indian Traditional Art, Music, Dance was passed on Tuesday in a meeting of the Academic Council of JNU. The department will be conducting education in traditional and classical Indian heritage in dance and music. Now, the proposal awaits the nod of the Executive Council in their meeting which is yet to be held. Even though, teacher's body is taking an opposing attitude of the newly introduced school.
On the other hand, the JNU student council members said that the Academic Council did not include the union members in the meeting. They have threatened to move to the court if the matter is not resolved. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) said that the president of JNUTA was invited but due to some other engagements, he nominated the secretary for attending the meeting on behalf of him. The JNUTA claimed that the secretary was asked to leave 5 minutes after joining the meeting over the direction of the higher authority.
JNUTA accused the VC of maligning the peaceful cooperative environment of work in the University. It claims that an agenda in the meeting included vast changes in the academic practices of the university which can hamper the academics of JNU if imposed.
JNUTA claimed that the vice-chancellor with the committee developed the idea of the new school without any consultation from the concerned authority including the School of Art and Aesthetics faculties who deal with the academic section of Dance and Music already in its Masters and doctoral programmes.
The council has issued a one-page academic recommendation in hurry without stating any reason, objective, rationale or the design of the new school without doing any further consultation. The Academic Committee has stated that the school will offer a 5-year integrated BA+MA Programme in Dance and Music.
Also Read: GATE Aspirants Protest Against the IIT M.Tech Fees Hike
One JNUTA professor said that the council has deviated from the JNU’s mandated and approved process of teaching, decision making and learning practice. This only shows the authoritarian attitude of the higher councils of the university. This has the potential to hamper the JNU culture.
Inputs from TheIndianExpress