JNU reacts to suicide threat, says will help Dalit scholar

 Jawaharlal Nehru University said on Wednesday that it was in touch with the Dalit researcher who has threatened suicide in his letter to the former vice chancellor S K Sopory, as he did not get clearance for the extension by another year for his senior research fellowship.

“Efforts are being made to resolve the issue and help the student,” a statement issued by the JNU registrar Bupinder Zutshi said.

As per the UGC’s norms, the varsity authorities said the total period of non-NET and NET fellowship combined cannot exceed five years.

“The student has also to refund the amount which was sanctioned to him for going abroad,” Zutshi said, adding that he spent the money on the treatment of his grandmother.

The researcher with the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament had received an advance payment of Rs 66,000 for his field trip to Brussels, Belgium.

On Monday, Deccan Herald had reported that in his January 22 letter to the VC, the researcher had told the university to let him resume his fellowship in a week’s time or he would commit suicide.
Following the letter, the outgoing VC Sopory told DH that has asked his officials to alert police and the varsity’s chief security officer.

The student had alleged “discrimination and harassment” by his centre.