JNU Sets Up 5-Member Panel to Review SC, ST Quota Shortfall in PhD Admissions

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has constituted a five-member committee to examine the complaints related to the alleged shortfall in the Scheduled Caste (SC) amd Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats in its PhD admissions for the 2026-27 academic session. This move follows a sustained objections raised by student organisations, including various other organisations like the SFI, AISA, alongside the formal inquiries form the National Commission for Scheduled Castes NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

Committee Composition and Mandate of JNU

According to an official university notification, Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit Constituted the panel to audit representations regarding the reservation rosters:-

• Chairperson:- Professor Vivek Kumar, Dean of the School of Scoial Sciences (SSS).
• Members:- The  university’s ST Liasion Officer, the Chief Adviser of the Equal Opoortunity Office and the Deputy Registrar (Legal).
• Member Secretary:- The Assistant Registrar of the SC,ST, and OBC cell.
• Special Powers Given:- The chairperson has been authorised to co-opt additional academic or administrative members of required during the assessment.

This new committee is tasked with reviewing department-wise reservation rosters, carry-forward vacancies, and overall compliance with central reservation rules. 

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Allegations Raised by Student Groups at JNU

Student bodies have flagged significant discrpancies between the legally mandated reservation percentage  and the actual seats that are advertised for the academic session 2026-27:-

• The various student bodies like SFI has highligted that out of 711 advertised PhD seats, only 38 seats were allotted under the 7.5 % ST quota, compared to the required 53 seats leaving an alleged deficit of15 seats. 
• Student representation bodies have also alleged that historical backlogs across six admission cycles, claiming cumulative shortfalls across SC, ST and Person with Disabilities (PwD) categories.
• The JNU Student’s Union (JNUSU) has demanded that student representatives be inducted into the committee to maintain transparency. 

Statutory Commissions Intervention 

The issue gained more attention after the statutory bodies stepped in. The National Commission for the Scheduled Castes (NCSC) directed that JNU administration to address missing reserved setas before conducting viva-voce exams or submit a formal explanation. Simultaneously, the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) directed JNU’s Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC) to examine the allocation records. The committee’s final audit report is expected to determine whether the university will need to re-notify setas or adjuts category rosters before to the conclusion of the PhD admission cycle.

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