New Delhi, Mar 16 (DHNS): The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has replaced heads of seven departments and a coordinator for non-enforcement of compulsory attendance rules.

Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar approved the reshuffle following a resolution passed by the executive council at its meeting recently.

The executive council resolved to replace the heads of the seven departments of the varsity following a report by a committee set up to inquire into non-compliance with compulsory attendance rules.

The JNU administration has made it compulsory for all students to record their attendance from the current academic session, invoking a rule from the university's academic ordinance of 2016.

The rule provides that a student "shall" put in not less than 80% attendance of the total contact hours in order to qualify for appearing for examinations.

The JNU Students Union (JNUSU), however, refused to follow the varsity's decision, dubbing it "arbitrary and irrational."

Students unhappy

The students of the varsity have been protesting against the mandatory attendance rule since it was notified by the JNU administration in December last year.

Issuing an order on Wednesday, the university administration appointed chairperson of the Centre for the Study of Law Rajiv Saxena as the acting chairperson of the Centre for French and Francophone Studies "until further orders," replacing incumbent Dhir Sarangi.

Others who were removed from their posts include chairperson of the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance Amit Prakash, chairperson of the Centre for Historical Studies Sucheta Mahajan, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning coordinator Sugato Das Gupta, chairperson of the Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Thought Pradip Kumar Datta, chairperson of the Centre for Linguistics Pauthang Haokip.