Jawaharlal Nehru University, better known as JNU, is a public central university based in New Delhi. It came into existence in 1969 and was named after Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister. Over the years, the university has become widely recognised for its strong academic culture, particularly in the areas of liberal arts, social sciences, international studies, and applied research.
The idea of setting up JNU took shape much before it formally opened its doors. The bill to establish the university was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on September 1, 1965, by the then Education Minister M. C. Chagla. After several discussions, it was passed by the Lok Sabha on November 16, 1966. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Act finally came into force on April 22, 1969. G. Parthasarathy was appointed as the first vice-chancellor, while Prof. Moonis Raza played a central role in building the institution as its founder chairman and rector. A major development followed in June 1970, when the Indian School of International Studies was merged with JNU, giving a significant boost to its academic standing.
Like other central universities, JNU follows a defined administrative structure. The President of India acts as the Visitor of the university. The Chancellor serves as the ceremonial head, while the Vice-Chancellor is responsible for day-to-day administration and academic leadership. The University Court functions as the highest authority and reviews the work of other bodies such as the Executive Council and the Academic Council. While the Executive Council handles administrative and policy matters, the Academic Council oversees academic matters, including teaching standards and examinations. The Finance Committee handles financial planning and budget-related recommendations.
JNU’s academic performance has been been reflected in various rankings over the years. In the QS World University Rankings 2022, it was placed in the 561–570 band globally. Under the National Institutional Ranking Framework, the university ranked third among Indian universities in 2016 and moved to second place in 2017. In the same year, it received the Best University Award from the President of India. In the NIRF 2020 rankings, JNU was ranked eighth overall and second among universities. It has also consistently featured among the top Indian universities in global rankings, and in 2021, The Week–Hansa Research survey ranked it as the best university in India.
Sunetra Pawar is set to take oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Saturday at 5 pm, according to sources. She has accepted the proposal for her elevation and will continue to handle the Excise and Sports ministries.
This news report covers the intensifying protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) following the Supreme Court's decision to stay the new University Grants Commission (UGC) equity regulations. The JNU Students Union (JNUSU) is leading the demonstrations, claiming that 'caste based discrimination at universities have surged in the last few years' despite the legal intervention. The Supreme Court observed that certain provisions of the regulations were ambiguous and 'too sweeping,' potentially reversing decades of progress toward a casteless society. The stay on these new norms implies a temporary return to the 2012 regulations until the government formulates updated guidelines. The programme highlights the friction between student bodies and the judicial ruling, featuring visuals of the protests recorded on the JNU campus. The report also mentions a data analytics segment titled 'Political Stock Exchange' to gauge public sentiment regarding the controversial UGC norms and the subsequent legal stay by the top court.
On this Special Report, the focus is on the escalating protests at Delhi University against the University Grants Commission's (UGC) new equity regulations. Students from the general category have labeled the norms a 'black law,' expressing fears of 'reverse discrimination' and the potential weaponisation of complaints due to confidential identities and the shifted burden of proof. National Students' Union of India (NSUI) President Varun Choudhary defended the regulations, stating, 'We are about equality, talking about equality,' while highlighting that 70% of OBC professor vacancies remain unfilled due to systemic discrimination. The programme examines the clash of perceptions between those viewing the norms as a correction of historical injustice and those fearing new forms of exclusion. The report also notes political friction, with the BJP attacking Congress's support for the norms while citing Prime Minister Modi's 10% EWS quota for the upper-caste poor as the alternative approach to inclusive growth.
On this news report, the focus is on the Supreme Court of India's scathing observations regarding the 2026 UGC regulations. The top court stayed the new norms, questioning if the country is 'losing gains of 75 years' and moving in a 'regressive direction' by using vague language prone to misuse. Varun Choudhary, President of the Congress youth wing NSUI, stated, 'this is mostly seen that it happens more with SC, ST and OBC' while clarifying that the NSUI stands against all forms of discrimination. The broadcast highlights the court's concern over campus unity and the potential for catastrophic damage if guidelines are not accurately drafted. The 2012 regulations will continue to remain in effect as the court seeks expert opinion for a redraft. The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on 19th March, as stakeholders from the BJP, Congress, and student communities react to the potential for internal rifts and the necessity for robust equity guidelines in higher education.
In this India Today special report, the spotlight is on the contentious University Grants Commission (UGC) Equity Regulations 2026. Experts note that while the proposed rules stem from a legitimate need highlighted in Supreme Court observations on campus discrimination, they risk diluting their core purpose by broadening the definition of marginalised groups to potentially cover nearly 92% of the student population.
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri have announced the conclusion of the 16th India-EU Summit, marking a transformative shift in bilateral relations. Minister Goyal described the landmark India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as the 'mother of all deals,' noting it covers 25 percent of global trade. The agreement provides duty-free access for 99% of Indian exports, specifically benefiting labor-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, and gems. Foreign Secretary Misri detailed the first-ever India-EU Security and Defence Partnership and a memorandum of understanding on mobility. Key focus areas include maritime security, green hydrogen cooperation, and scientific research via the Horizon Europe program. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa to solidify this strategic partnership. Additionally, the briefing addresses the nationwide debate regarding new UGC equity regulations. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan provided insights on these regulations, which aim to curb campus discrimination while preventing the potential misuse of the new laws.
On this Special Report, India Today examines the escalating controversy surrounding the new University Grants Commission (UGC) equity directives aimed at curbing campus caste discrimination. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan defended the regulations, stating, 'In the name of discrimination, no one will have the right to misuse it.' While the government insists the law remains within constitutional bounds, widespread protests have broken out in Delhi, Bareilly, and Meerut. Critics and student groups argue the guidelines lack verification mechanisms for complaints and fail to provide protection against malicious allegations, potentially harming the mental health and careers of the accused. The report highlights the resignation of Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri in protest and the demands from various student outfits for either a total rollback or significant amendments to the policy. The matter has now reached the Supreme Court via a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the fairness of these new campus regulations.
Former parliamentarian and BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta joins the UnPolitics podcast to discuss his ideological journey and the political landscape of West Bengal. Dasgupta reflects on his transition from university-level Leftism to Hindu nationalism, a shift solidified during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
On this Special Report, host Maria Shakeel examines the fresh political storm at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) following the Supreme Court's denial of bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The programme features insights from former Solicitor General Harish Salve and senior advocate Salman Khurshid regarding the limits of free speech and campus activism. Mr. Salve expressed concern over the university becoming 'hate laboratories' and a 'playground of negative politics,' suggesting that 'intellectual terrorism' is being fed to students. Conversely, Mr. Khurshid argued for the 'right to offend' as part of free speech, noting that slogans like 'kabru' (grave) might be intended as a 'metaphor involved' rather than a literal threat. The discussion follows a police complaint filed by the JNU administration against JNUSU President Aditi Mishra and others for allegedly raising controversial slogans against the Prime Minister and Home Minister. The report explores whether these protests constitute legitimate dissent or a defiance of constitutional authority amidst claims of 'urban Naxalism' and institutional defamation.
In this Special Report, former Solicitor General Harish Salve joins India Today’s Maria Shakil to discuss the Supreme Court’s denial of bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Salve argues that ‘context and course of conduct’ are crucial in conspiracy cases, asserting that individual acts like speeches cannot be vivisected from a larger plan to disrupt the state. He strongly criticizes the atmosphere in universities like JNU, describing them as ‘hate laboratories’ and factories producing ‘urban Naxalites’. Salve contends that while campus issues should be resolved internally, external influences feeding ‘intellectual terrorism’ require firm legal intervention.
The big talking point of this episode of Newstrack is provocative slogans that were raised against PM Modi and Amit Shah at a JNU event organised by students after the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, former Solicitor General of India, Harish Salve called anti-Modi chants in JNU a worrisome trend and the campus has become a hornet's nest.
This edition of India First focusses on escalating violence in Bangladesh, where 11 Hindus were killed in 35 days.
The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court permitted the ritual, dismissing the state government's objections related to law and order and the shrine's proximity to the Sikandar Badusha Dargah.
On this Special Report, anchor Preeti Choudhury examines the fresh controversy at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) following provocative slogans raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The protests erupted after the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the 2020 campus violence. The JNU administration has lodged a police complaint against JNUSU President Aditi Mishra and Vice President Gopika Babu, describing the chants as 'highly objectionable, provocative and inflammatory'. While the BJP has branded the protesters as 'urban naxals', the student body maintains that the event was a peaceful vigil and an expression of their 'constitutional right to dissent'. The programme features a heated debate between ABVP's Vaibhav Meena, CPI's Vivek Srivastava, and analysts Sanjay Jha and Rajat Sethi on whether the slogans represent legitimate ideological disagreement or something more sinister. The report highlights the deepening ideological divide within one of India's premier educational institutions.
In this edition of To The Point, the focus is on the renewed controversy at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) following the Supreme Court's denial of bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
On this Special Report, host Preeti Choudhry examines the escalating tension at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) following controversial slogans raised during a student vigil. The debate centers on whether the rhetoric, including slogans targeting the Prime Minister, constitutes 'pure ideological dissent' or something 'far more sinister' as the university management lodges an FIR. Panelists including Sanjay Jha, Rajat Sethi, Vaibhav Meena, and Vivek Srivastava discuss the implications of the protest against the Supreme Court's decision to deny bail to Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid. While student bodies claim their stance is being mischaracterised, critics argue the slogans cross a 'fine red line' into anti-national territory. The programme explores the friction between the JNU administration and student groups, especially in the context of 2026 government guidelines regarding internal security. The discussion highlights the deep ideological divide regarding the limits of free speech and the role of premier educational institutions in national discourse.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is witnessing a fresh political storm after controversial slogans were allegedly raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The protest, organised by left-wing student groups, marked the anniversary of the 2020 campus violence and opposed the Supreme Court's denial of bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The JNU administration has filed a complaint naming JNUSU President Aditi Mishra and Vice President Gopika Babu. The BJP has condemned the incident, branding the protesters as 'urban Naxals', while the students defended the slogans as an ideological expression of dissent. The controversy has once again placed the university at the centre of a national debate on freedom of speech and nationalism.
In a breaking report on India Today, JNUSU defends the 'Kabar Khudegi' slogans raised during the January 5 vigil, terming the backlash a 'deliberate effort' to defame the university. Reporter Shreya Chatterjee confirms the student body's statement, which clarifies the event was to commemorate the 2020 JNU attack anniversary. The statement links the emotional sloganeering to the Supreme Court's January 5, 2026 judgment denying bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. JNUSU asserts the chants were an expression of 'ideological dissent' and a constitutional right, rejecting claims of a sinister conspiracy.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration has taken serious cognisance of alleged 'objectionable and provocative' slogans raised by a group of students from the JNU Students Union.
