Days after the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) raised objections to the proforma to be filled to update the telephone directory, the university administration has released it in a revised format. On March 20, the JNU Teachers’ Association wrote to the Deputy Registrar (Administration) expressing its dismay at a communication seeking information for the directory.
“In the proforma he sent, he asked the women of the female faculty to indicate their gender and marital status, while the male faculty is referred to by their professional status,” it said. In this the example was mentioned ‘Prof’. Objecting to the proforma, the Teachers’ Association further said, “JNUTA has found your demand for this information ‘sexist’ and ‘discriminatory’. Especially because it seems that no man is required to disclose his marital status.”
Furthermore, the Teachers Association further stated that none of this information has a proper connection with the idea of a directory. Expressing its objection, JNUTA had demanded the deputy registrar to revise the proforma. In the earlier proforma, there was an option of ‘Professor, Miss or Mrs’ under the column. However, following the letter from JNUTA, the revised proforma has been issued, in which the above columns have been removed.
Revised proforma issued after dispute escalated
In a statement on March 22, JNUTA had said, “As per the letter to the Deputy Registrar of JNUTA, the JNU Telephone Directory was written to request amendment in the proforma with respect to personal information, the proforma for furnishing the information has been amended.”
The Teachers Association also thanked the university administration for the prompt response. Recently a new team has taken charge of JNUTA. The first general meeting under the new team is to be held on April 1.