Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabrmal Tibrewala University
Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University is a university in Jhunjhunu, India and facing a ban shortly due to the petition signed by many on change dot org and grievances at the Government level and international organizations.
History
Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University is approved by Rajasthan State Government. Act 2009 Vide F2(5) Vidhi/2/2009. It has been started by Rajasthani Seva Sangh Mumbai. The university is located at Vidyanagari, Jhunjhunu-Churu Road, Jhunjhunu. The city of Jhunjhunu, the ancient capital of Shekhwati lies in the quiet and unhurried desert region of north Rajasthan. It is located at 180 km from Jaipur and 245 km from New Delhi. It is well connected with Delhi and Jaipur by bus service and trains.
In the beginning, the University started undergraduate courses in four streams of engineering i.e. B.Tech. (Computer), B.Tech. (Mechnical), B.Tech. (Civil), B.Tech. (Electronics & Communication) along with BBA, MBA and B.Sc.(IT). Later on in 2011, Diploma in Engineering and Bachelor in Physical Education (B.P.E.) has been added.
The University in 2012 started various basic as well as job oriented new courses from July 2012. These are B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Food Technology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Instrumentation, Electronic Instrumentation, Home Science, Microbiology, Remote Sensing and GIS, Industrial Chemistry, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Physics and Mathematics, BBA and MBA in Pharma, Biotech, Security Management, marketing, Human Resources and Finance, B.Com.(Honours), M.S.W., B.A., and M.A. in English, Home Science, Geography, Education, Public Administration, History and Economics, Courses on Pharmacy viz; D.Pharma, M.Pharma, and Physical Education courses such as B.P.Ed. and M.P.Ed. Board of director- PRADEEP SHARMA
Departments
There are 24 teaching departments: history, political science and public administration, economics, botany, zoology, pure and applied chemistry, environmental studies, remote sensing and Geo Informatics, foods and nutrition, microbiology, computer applications, population studies, commerce and management studies, law, education, physical education, yoga and human consciousness, entrepreneurship & small business management, strategic studies and information sciences.
Location
The university's campus is near the village of Churela, twenty kilometers from the city of Jhunjhunu. Approx 200 km from Jaipur Rajasthan
Petition to shut down JJT University on change dot org
The petition to shut down Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University (near Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan) is raising widespread awareness about the harassment of (religious) minority students at this University. Some notable personalities have already signed this petition. www.change.org/p/university-grants-commission-shut-down-jjt-university-rajasthan-india The JJT University is blamed for implementing hidden Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation) Agenda by awarding easy degrees to the so-called upper-caste Hindus and denying education rights and harassing minority (including Muslims). The University Grants Commission (UGC) - the university regulatory body and the relevant Higher Education Ministry (Governments) are ignoring grievances. The JJTU is run by the Hindu fanatics from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak and Rajasthani Seva Sangh (again abbreviated as RSS) - the followers and conspirators of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Support Letter to Shut Down JJT University
In India, private universities are being established with a commitment to make higher education available to those who are deprived. The location of such universities shows potential for industrial and business opportunities by developing and mobilizing human resource in the area where universities are to set-up. Such institutions of higher education are supposed to engage themselves in object-oriented, modular skill development programmes, educational courses and research activities in view of the targeted region and the people. In most of the cases, such private universities are superficially intended to reach out to the target geographical area and the people which are not completely covered by previous higher education institutes. Though privatized, the mission of a university should be teaching, bringing knowledge to the door-steps of the society and create facilities for the extension education, knowledge intensification and overall human resource utilization and development in that region. This shall consequently serve the society with high standard of ethics and build democratic values. Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University (JJT University www.jjtu.ac.in) Rajasthan was one such private university but established on some ambiguous mission statement. This university is approved by the State Government of Rajasthan under their relevant university act of year 2009 vide F2(5) Vidhi/2/2009. It is promoted by the Rajasthani Seva Sangh (proudly abbreviated as, RSS) with its registered headquarters at Mumbai. The mission ambiguity might be because (as they themselves bragg) the promoters include "pracharak (marketer)" of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - ("National Volunteer Organization" as it is literally translated) is a right-wing Hindu cultural, social, charitable, and so-called extreme patriotic non-governmental organization (NGO) claiming selfless-service to India as its ideological base. After Mahatma Gandi's murder, RSS faced ban for being a terrorist organization. People say that the RSS was founded on 27 September 1925 during the period of British India. But later in the year 1980, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) emerged as its political outfit with Hinduism-based politics on the principle of attaining power and educating India with its Hindu identity undermining the secular nature of the constitution and diversity among the Indians. Please be informed that the National Democratic Alliance (with BJP as its major party) has gained its parliamentary majority in the elections of year 2014. The point to be noted is also that the RSS activists in India are euphoric after the 2014 Loksabha - People's Parliament House elections (actually even before that due to some state election results in their favour) that stripped the secular and increasingly minority (vote) loving United Progressive Alliance (UPA) of their parliamentary seats. UPA with Indian National Congress as its major party was led by Italian born but now Indian Ms. Sonia widow of ex prime-minister Rajeev Gandhi. Now after the 2014 elections, it appears that the pluralism is rapidly diminishing from the parliament and so also the democracy. In the latest round of appointments in this Government (which many believe), the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chose people with RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) ideology as heads to almost all of the higher education and research institutions such as the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the University Grants Commission (UGC)…..this is what most people believe not me. PM Modi is representing the whole nation, but there is this (mis)conception in the minds of many of his fans or followers and volunteers that both the BJP and RSS tend to build (or train) characters through Hindu discipline (as if the Hindu religion is their sole property) and appeal to unite the Hindu community in the so-called Hindu Nation (Hindu Rashtra) cause. All of their related outfits adore the Indian culture and values which they think no other can. And, this is where the problem has started to surface. Because the people from other religions or minority community love India as much any other so-called majority religious persons. All living in (Republic of) India should have their place in the democracy and equal right in National building, development, educational and cultural inclusive growth. But some people with parochial mindset do not seem to adopt the social integrity. The Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University / JJT University, the author is referring to, is located at Chudela village outskirts (now named Vidyanagari) on Jhunjhunu - Churu Road of Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan. The city of Jhunjhunu (in Shekhawati region) is the nearest big city. The unhurried desert location of the university is around 180 km from Jaipur – the (Rajasthan) State capital and 245 km from New Delhi – the capital of (Republic of) India. And there are Muslims pursuing Ph.D. at the university. They are supposed to do what their subject, supervisor and or co-ordinator (mentor) asks them to do for getting their doctoral degree from the JJT University. The students will not bring religion in their university lives and risk their studies. The real Muslims uphold their culture and civilized values and they preserve their faith even under extreme living conditions. Like any other Indian citizen, Muslims value freedom (against slavery) and love for their land (country) more than anything else. The very very common Muslims want to convey BJP and RSS that they have equal right to live, grow peacefully in the beauty of life as much as they (majority and so called-Hindu patriotic) do. No Government, political party or cultural outfit has the legal or constitutional rights to read the Islamic philosophy at face value or interpret in an esoteric fashion. In India, some organizations (including religious) tend to be biased to others and favour only their group or ideology by causing conflicts. Parochialism or narrow-minded outlook is not healthy for integration and development of any society or nation. There are reports on incidents of religious persecution (as it is happening in Isak's case and also in the case of Zeeshan Khan) and (as some say) the reports are coming in where even the Government officials are denying all (including Muslims) their place in the nation. The establishment of private university such as this should have brought hope for the upliftment of the downtrodden and students in rural areas, but are bringing in politics and parochialism instead. Right-wing fundamentalists of all religion based parties all over the world must be dissolved. They are mutually the basic reason for inciting mutual distrust (in the minds of people). The Republic of India is developing pretty well even in the wake of economic crisis all around the world. Unyielding efforts should be required to avoid parochialism and decrease the chances of bigotry or incidents like harassments of Muslims at higher education and research institutions. In July 2014, Mr Isak R. Shaikh (www.shaykhzada.weebly.com) had submitted his Ph.D. thesis in chemistry to the Faculty of Science of the JJT University but the University is procrastinating the proceedings and not following the rules and regulations put in place by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and by the University itself. And, as a consequence, the research scholar has been subjected to constant harassment and threat. The UGC is a statutory body of the Government of India and is charged with regulation, co-ordination and standard maintenance of higher education in the country and the UGC also provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized universities. Its headquarters is in New Delhi, and six regional centres including the one in Pune (Maharashtra) where the aforementioned research scholar is based at. The Ph.D. candidate has also made requests and complaint to the Ministry of Minority Affairs. A sluggish response by these agencies is causing the seeping away of the faith in the Government. What is noteworthy in the case of this scholar is that he has had similar experiences during his higher education and research at foreign university in the past. In the later months of year 2007, the Inha University based at Inchon in South Korea did not allow him write his Ph.D. thesis in chemistry. And, the JJT University is trying to victimize this scholar (even upon thesis submission). In dedicated efforts to further the research career, Isak's never-give-up attitude and strong character fought for his rights. He practises modesty and prefers to stay away from the media and news headlines. After his incomplete Ph.D. abroad, he pursued another Ph.D. program in India and got himself engaged with the chemistry research and sustainable development. When his persecution and victimization started to surface, he alerted the UGC and the Ministry of Minority Affairs to his case when his rights were being abridged. The things got even delayed and complicated when the regulatory bodies and governmental agencies take no proper action to protect this threatened scholar. Many academic experts in India believe that the private universities are money-making businesses and the so-called choice based credit system (CBCS) and choice based credit transfer (CBCT) are mainly benefitting established class of people and the private institutions are earning money from students rather than helping students choose their course of study and intellectual development. This scholar even requested for a transfer to another university but the Government is in no mood to advise appropriately. Now his research career is hung in suspension. Yet, there were no reports that confirm an investigation into the matter after receiving Mr Isak R. Shaikh's grievances. He is being constantly denied his Ph.D. and is subjected to unfair treatment, victimization and harassment.
The purpose of this article is to appeal other researchers and higher educationalists to follow the case of Mr Isak R. Shaikh and monitor his case and persecution for exercising his freedom of speech and struggle for the right. There could be many more scholars like him who need some help right now. Some news reporters are very concerned regarding recent harassment by this Indian university and the much-delayed intervention from the higher education regulatory body because they also believe that Mr Shaikh's research career is at stake again due to the governmental paraphernalia and their activities are deteriorating his social health. According to our contacts, the private universities are destroying knowledge and disheartening enthusiastic researchers (like Mr Isak R. Shaikh) due to their hidden parochial agendas. The purpose of the higher education is not served if they decline by such high degrees. Both his family and the global scientific community are in general are concerned about his current condition and they feel that they have this moral obligation to channelize his efforts ( www.shaykhzada.weebly.com ) for the good of society and save his intellect from going un-noticed.