Students’ union alleges casteist comments; VC denies charges
February 21, 2026: A fresh controversy has erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University after the students’ union accused Vice Chancellor Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit of making “blatantly casteist statements” during a podcast discussion on University Grants Commission regulations. The remarks were made in a 52-minute podcast released on February 16, where she discussed issues including the rustication of JNUSU office bearers, the university’s image and UGC equity norms.
In a statement, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) strongly objected to the comments and demanded the vice chancellor’s resignation. The union alleged that her observations on UGC regulations reflected “caste supremacy and systemic exclusion” in academic spaces and called for a nationwide protest on February 21 to press for her removal.
Responding to the allegations, Pandit said her remarks were misinterpreted and taken out of context. She clarified that her comments referred to ideological debates and denied targeting any community, adding that selective clips from the podcast were being circulated without the full context. She also reiterated that criticism over the UGC regulations had led to an unnecessary controversy.