JNU investigates professor after 10 students file sexual harassment complaints
At least 10 students at Jawaharlal Nehru University have accused a professor of sexual harassment, prompting an internal probe at one of India’s best-known p...
At least 10 students at Jawaharlal Nehru University have accused a professor of sexual harassment, prompting an internal probe at one of India’s best-known public universities. The complaints, filed about a month ago, allege inappropriate conduct at gatherings held at the faculty member’s on-campus residence and lewd remarks in class.
The university’s Internal Complaints Committee is now examining the allegations. The administration and the vice-chancellor’s office have not publicly commented. Quiet, for now.
Allegations span gatherings and classrooms
According to the complaints reviewed by local media, students said the professor invited them to social gatherings at his home inside the campus and then made sexual advances. Some also alleged that he used inappropriate language during classes. The accused professor lives on campus, officials familiar with the matter said.
After the first complaint reached the committee, several senior students came forward in support of the complainants. They also voiced similar concerns about the professor’s behaviour, widening the scope of the case under review.
Internal committee takes over
JNU’s Internal Complaints Committee handles complaints of sexual harassment on campus, and the case is being examined through that process. The university’s vice-chancellor said in remarks reported by local media that such matters are dealt with by the committee and that the vice-chancellor is not part of it.
The professor has denied wrongdoing, saying he was not aware of any complaint and that the allegations against him were false. The committee has declined to discuss the matter, calling it internal and still under investigation.
Why the case matters beyond one campus
The allegations have drawn attention because JNU is one of India’s most prominent universities and has a long history of student activism and intense public scrutiny. Cases like this often test how institutions handle complaints, how quickly they respond, and whether students feel safe coming forward.
Across universities worldwide, sexual harassment complaints have increasingly been routed through internal grievance bodies, with students pressing for faster action and clearer protection against retaliation. That broader pressure now sits in the background at JNU, where the committee’s findings will likely shape the next move.
For now, the investigation remains open, and the university has not said when it may issue a formal update.
