JNU VC's 'playing victim card' remark sparks outrage
JNU Vice-Chancellor Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit has landed in hot water after saying, "You cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card," during a recent podcast about affirmative action.
Her remarks have sparked strong criticism from students and student bodies, who see them as dismissive of equity concerns.
Called UGC's equity rules 'unnecessary and irrational'
Pandit didn't stop there—she also called the University Grants Commission's (UGC) equity rules "unnecessary and irrational."
She referred to measures for Black people, saying, "By making somebody a devil, it is not easy to progress. It is a temporary type of drug."
JNUSU calls for Pandit's resignation
The JNU Students's Union (JNUSU) has called for Pandit's resignation over what they describe as "blatantly casteist" remarks.
They're gearing up for nationwide protests on Sunday, February 22, 2026, fueled further by recent disciplinary actions against student leaders protesting library surveillance.
Supreme Court stays equity norms
Since becoming VC, Pandit has faced criticism for an autocratic leadership style—think delays in faculty promotions and strict measures against dissent.
Her latest comments come even as there's a Supreme Court stay on the very equity norms she criticized.