An activist from Pune, Praful Sarda, utilized the Right to Information (RTI) to uncover significant details about funding allocations to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi. Historically considered a stronghold of leftist ideologies, JNU has garnered national attention since 2016 due to prominent student protests led by figures like Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid.
According to the RTI response obtained by Sarda, JNU received its largest share of funding under the current political administration. Comparing data from two periods—2004–05 to 2014–15 and 2015–16 to 2022–23—revealed a substantial increase in subsidies during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Specifically, subsidies to JNU rose from Rs 2,055 crore in the earlier decade to Rs 3,030 crore in the Modi era, indicating a 1.5-fold increase in funding.
However, alongside this financial support, there has been a notable rise in legal action against JNU students. Before 2016, no FIRs had been registered against students, but since then, 35 FIRs have been lodged by the university administration against its own students. Sarda expressed challenges in obtaining detailed information about these FIRs through RTI, citing delays and incomplete responses from authorities.
Reflecting on these findings, Sarda emphasized the importance of expanding investments in national universities, advocating for greater support to institutions like Mumbai and Pune universities. He argued that such investments would significantly benefit students from rural areas who enroll in these universities annually.
Sarda concluded by urging prompt and transparent responses from authorities regarding the information sought through RTI, particularly concerning the FIRs and related details concerning JNU students.
