JNUTA: A Brief History

1.  The objects of the Association shall be:

a) To promote democratic functioning of the University specially in terms of teachers’ participation in decision-making processes;

b)  to promote studies and discussion on academic matters;

c)  to advocate, secure, maintain and safeguard the rights and liberties of teachers and to help the teachers to fulfill their academic obligations;

d)  to take necessary steps to improve the conditions of service of the teachers of the University;

e)  to suggest, initiate and work for suitable legislation affecting educational policy with special reference to rights and responsibilities of teachers;

f)   to organize and administer and/or help in the administration of social security for teachers;

g)  to promote social harmony amongst the teachers of the University and to organize recreational activities for their benefits;

h)  to promote harmonious relations and cooperation between the teachers of the University and other sections of the University community; and

i)   to promote the objectives for which the University has been established.

1. The Association shall be competent to delegate any of all of its powers excepting the power to dispose of real property to any authority or body working under the Constitution.

2. The Association, through its appropriate authority shall have the power, inter alias:

(a) to hold, own, or dispose of real and movable property in trust or otherwise received or acquired for the prosecution of the objects above named, or any of them;

(b)  to accept donations, in money or in kind, in trust or otherwise, for the objects above named, or any of them, provided that no donation which is expressly intended to promote any sectional activity shall be accepted;

(c) to initiate and/or co-operate in any enterprise pertaining to the advancement of the objectives of the Association, which in the opinion of the Executive Committee of the Association, appears appropriate and advisable;

(d) to review, approve, and sanction any changes in the Constitution, subject to such procedure as may be provided for in that behalf by the Constitution or the Rules under the Constitution as may become necessary from time to time.

1. The General Body of the Association consisting of all its members shall be the supreme authority of the Association.

2. Under the General Body of the Association, there shall be an Executive Committee and the following office bearers of the Association:

(a)  a president

(b)  two vice-presidents

(c)  a secretary

(d)  two joint secretaries

(e)  a treasurer.

1.The General Body may meet as and when necessary, but shall meet at least once a semester including an Annual General Body meeting. The agenda of the General Body meeting, except the annual meeting, shall be approved by the Executive Committee and shall be circulated by the Secretary at least one week in advance. [Amended]

2. The Annual General Body meeting will be held towards the end of the Monsoon semester on a date to be fixed by the Executive Committee and shall have on its agenda the consideration of the following as approved by the Executive Committee:

a)  the annual report of the Association prepared by the Secretary;

b)  the financial report of the Association prepared by the treasurer along with an audit report; and

c)  the budget for the next year.

3. The Executive Committee may convene an Emergency meeting of the General Body whenever it thinks fit after giving one day notice. The quorum for this meeting shall be one-seventh of the General Body. [Amended]

4. The Executive Committee shall convene a meeting of the General Body upon a requisition in writing signed by not less than one-fourth of the members of the Association within ten days of the receipt of notice for such a requisition.

1.  The day-to-day work of the Association shall be entrusted to an Executive Committee which shall consist of:

a)  The President

b)  The two Vice-Presidents

c)  The Secretary

d)  The two Joint Secretaries

e)  The Treasurer

f)  Two members from amongst the members of each School having more than thirty members and one from amongst the members of each School having less than thirty members.

3. Subject to the Constitution, and the directives of the General Body, the Committee shall have:

a)  to formulate the policy of the Association and to take steps to carry it out;

b)  to make rules regulating the financial administration of the Association;

c)  to make arrangements for any conference of JNU teachers that may be convened by the Association;

d)  to issue bulletins or other publications bearing on the well-being and interests of teachers;

e)  to take practical steps towards the carrying out of the various aims and objects of the Association specified in the Constitution;

f)   to accept donations from any public authority, private body, or individual to promote the aims and objects of the Association.

1. The President shall preside over the meetings of the General Body and the Executive Committee.

2. The Vice-Presidents shall assist the President in the discharge of his duties and shoulder such other responsibilities as the Executive Committee may assign.

3. The Secretary shall convene meetings of the General Body and the Executive Committee with the concurrence of the President; shall keep minutes of those meetings; and shall prepare the annual report of the Association.

4. The Joint Secretaries shall assist the Secretary in the discharge of his duties and shoulder such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Executive Committee.

5. The Treasurer shall prepare the annual financial report and the budget of the Association and shoulder such other responsibilities as the Executive Committee may assign.

1.  The office bearers of the Association will be elected by the entire Association. The School Representatives will be elected only by the School that they represent. A teacher or member of research staff who has been found guilty of financial irregularities, physical violence, and/or sexual harassment by a statutory enquiry or any equivalent thereof as prescribed by the rules of the University shall be debarred from contesting the JNUTA elections. However, he/she may retain the right to vote. Each candidate will be required to follow a ‘full disclosure norm’ while filing the nomination stating whether any such enquiry was instituted against her/him, and if any, whether it is pending, or has been dismissed, on what grounds. Any such information shall be widely circulated among the electorate. The voting will be by secret ballot in the month of November under rules framed for the purpose by the Executive Committee, approved by the General Body and carried out by the Election Commissioner; and they shall hold office for one year. The outgoing Executive Committee will hand over charge to the new team immediately after the declaration of the results. [Amended].

2. An office bearer of the association will be eligible for re-election for the same office for not more than two consecutive terms.

1. A vote of no-confidence against an office bearer of the Association may be moved in a requisitioned meeting convened under Article VI, Clause 4.

2. A vote of no-confidence can be passed only by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting in the General Body meeting mentioned in Clause X, Article 1; provided that the number of members so voting is not less than one-fifth of the total members of the Association [Amended]

1. Any casual vacancy caused in any of the offices mentioned above, including membership of the Executive Committee, shall be filled by the Executive Committee for the remainder of the term of office, except that its choice of President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be subject to confirmation by the General Body at their next meeting.

2. If any person in any of the offices mentioned above does not attend meetings of the Executive Committee without sufficient cause for three consecutive meetings, he shall be deemed to have vacated his seat, without prejudice to his being re-eligible for the same office.

1. Changes/amendments in the Constitution may be made at a specially requisitioned meeting of the General Body. Amendments in the Constitution shall be proposed either by the Executive Committee or by a group of not less than one-fifth of the members of the Association, signifying their desire to do so. Amendments to the Constitution may also be ratified through circulation to all members, giving at least 15 days for comments/objections. [Amended]

2. Not less than fifteen days notice shall be given for the consideration of any such proposed change in the Constitution.

3. Changes in the Constitution can be made only by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the meeting provided that the latter is not less than a majority of the membership of the Association.