The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has urged President Droupadi Murmu, the Visitor of the university, to immediately remove Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, alleging that the campus is gripped by a “crisis of governance” under her leadership.

In a letter dated September 1, JNUTA accused the Vice-Chancellor of “abuse of power” and pursuing “personal vendetta,” claiming she has steadily eroded statutory bodies and centralized authority within her office.

Faculty promotions, appointments, and even housing allotments, the teachers allege, are now subject to a “pick and choose” policy designed to reward loyalty and punish dissent.

The teachers’ body also demanded the reversal of the dismissal of Dr. Rohan VH Choudhari, a young faculty member from the Centre for Political Studies. They described his termination as unlawful and arbitrary, calling it “a flimsy pretext turned into a disciplinary ground long after the event” and an attempt to make an example out of him.

“We had refrained from approaching the President earlier, despite rising concerns, in the hope of resolving matters internally. But the termination of a colleague has pushed the situation beyond the tipping point,” the letter stated. “Things have already gone too far and there is no way she can redeem herself in the eyes of the faculty.”

Invoking the JNU Act, JNUTA urged President Murmu to intervene and exercise her powers to restore institutional norms. The teachers have also sought a personal meeting with the President to present their case in detail.