More than 100 SC/ST professors to be appointed in JNU soon: Javadekar

New Delhi: More than 100 professors from the ST/SC and specially challenged categories will soon be appointed in the JNU, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha here today. Mr Javadekar said these posts were lying vacant for a long time but the Government had now worked to see that over 100 people from the SC/ST category and 25 people from the specially challenged category joined the country's prestigious institution soon.

His announcement came while replying to a discussion on The National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (NITSER) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016 that seeks to declare NITSERs in Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh); and Berhampur (Odisha) as institutes of national importance. The Bill was later passed by the House by voice vote. The Minister also announced that the government would close 2500 BEd colleges if they did not file their affidavit about the courses, faculties and other facilities and infrastructure withing 15 days. So far, 8,000 such institutes had filed their affidavits, and reply of the 2500 was awaited, he said, underlining that these steps were in the line with the government's firm commitment to improve the quality of education.

The announcement about SC/ST education was followed by a clash between the opposition Congress and the Treasury benches as Leader of the Congress in the House Mallikarjun Khaarge wanted to know why the Minister was only spotting out one university and not talking about vacancies in other central universities. 'I know why you are talking about only JNU,' he said. Amidst protest from his party MPs over Mr Kharge's remarks, Mr Javadekar said he was not indulging in any politics, but mentioned the varsity as it was one of the top universities of the country. 'It got the visitor's award recently not for shouting Afzal slogans, not for keeping the VC under seige but for doing good work,' he said as exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches heated up further.  (UNI)