Gender-neutral shift: JNU vice-chancellor to be known as ‘Kulguru’ as a substitute of ‘Kulpati’ | India Information – Occasions of India

NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru College (JNU) has determined to exchange the time period “Kulpati” with “Kulguru” for its vice-chancellor in all diploma certificates and tutorial data, three years after such a change was first proposed.JNU made the choice throughout a gathering of its Government Council in April.The minutes of the assembly acknowledged as agenda: “To vary/rename of designation from ‘Kulpati’ to ‘Kulguru’ for the signature on the diploma certificates and different tutorial paperwork.”The directive has been marked for motion by the Controller of examinations.“‘Kulguru’ just isn’t solely culturally vital but additionally gender-neutral, providing a extra inclusive different to the standard titles utilized in Indian universities,” information company PTI quoted a JNU official as saying.In Hindi, “pati” means husband, whereas “guru” interprets to trainer, a gender-neutral time period. ‘Symbolic gesture’: JNUSU presidentReacting to the transfer, JNU College students’ Union president Nitish Kumar mentioned that as a substitute of “symbolic gestures”, the Delhi-based college ought to work in the direction of “concrete gender justice.”“Together with altering ‘Kulpati’ to ‘Kulguru’, the VC also needs to fulfill the calls for for gender-neutral washrooms and gender-neutral hostels. Transfer past symbolic gestures and work in the direction of concrete gender justice,” Kumar wrote on X.Not first such name-change The college transfer is in step with related modifications already carried out by the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments.In February, Rajasthan handed an modification to undertake “Kulguru” and “Pratikulguru” for “Kulpati” and “Upkulpati”, a call authorised the next month.In July final yr, Madhya Pradesh unanimously authorised an modification that the vice-chancellors of the colleges within the state shall be addressed as “Kulguru”.