JNU protests: What Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said
JNU is in the spotlight after Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said, "You cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card," during a podcast on February 16.
Many students saw this as casteist and as downplaying caste discrimination, particularly with reference to Dalits and UGC equity regulations, which quickly led to widespread protests across campus.
What happened during protests
The JNU Students's Union called Pandit's remarks "blatantly casteist," demanding her resignation and announcing nationwide protests for February 22, 2026.
Over 100 students marched to her residence, leading to clashes between student groups.
The university later condemned the unrest.
Criticism of UGC's new rules on caste discrimination
Pandit also criticized new UGC rules meant to address caste discrimination in higher education, calling them "unnecessary" and "irrational."
While she later clarified that she was targeting "wokes" rather than any community, many felt her comments downplayed real issues of discrimination.
Who is Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit?
Pandit became JNU's first woman Vice-Chancellor.
She holds a PhD in International Relations and is an alumna of JNU's School of International Studies, and has previously taught at institutions including Savitribai Phule Pune University.