JNU in Modi years: Increased funding, curbs on dissent

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, a stronghold of leftist ideology, has seen a significant increase in funding under the current political regime.

A Right to Information (RTI) request filed by a Pune activist Praful Sarda revealed that JNU received a total subsidy of Rs 2,055 crore between 2004–05 and 2014–15 under Narendra Modi-led NDA government.

The matter came to light after the activist asked for every information related to the subsidies given to JNU during Modi's tenure.

In contrast, the subsidy surged to Rs 3,030 crore from 2015-16 to 2022-23, indicating a 1.5 times increase in funding during the Modi regime.

However, this period has also witnessed a notable rise in the number of FIRs against students. The RTI data shows that since 2016, 35 FIRs have been lodged by the JNU administration against its own students, marking the highest number recorded at the university.

"In 2016, for the first time in JNU's history, 35 FIRs were registered by the JNU administration. They did not share the names or the number of people involved," Sarda was quoted as saying by India Today.

Before 2016, no FIRs were registered against students by the JNU administration.

However, under the current regime, prominent student activists such as Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid were arrested under stringent laws. While Kanhaiya was released on bail, Khalid remains in jail.

"We need more national universities, and the government should prioritise extending this benefit to universities in Mumbai and Pune. Every year, lakhs of students from rural areas enroll, and this would greatly benefit them," Sarda emphasised.