'Kulguru' replaces 'Kulpati' at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Here's why

Representative image

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has decided to adopt the term ‘kulguru’ as the Hindi designation for its Vice-Chancellor, replacing the traditionally used ‘Kulpati’, with an aim to promote gender neutrality.

This change was proposed by Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit during an Executive Council meeting earlier this year, where she emphasised the appropriateness of ‘kulguru’ as a gender-neutral term that better reflects the role of a university head. The term ‘kulguru’ draws from the ancient Indian guru-shishya (teacher-disciple) tradition, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The change will also be reflected in academic documentation, including degree certificates, Indian Express reported, citing university sources.

Vice-Chancellor Pandit, the first woman to hold the position at JNU, has been an advocate for gender-sensitive reforms within the university. Upon her appointment, she initiated changes in official communications, replacing gender-specific pronouns to foster inclusivity. She has also emphasised the need to remove stereotypical representations from educational materials and to create a more gender-friendly campus environment.

“When I joined this university, everyone used ‘he’ instead of ‘she’, even on official documents. But I’ve since made sure that it’s changed to ‘she’ wherever applicable," News18 had quoted Pandit as saying earlier at an event in 2022.

On the title change, Pandit told The Indian Express, “Kulguru is the most appropriate for a V-C. It is gender neutral. Sanskrit is more accurate, and this reflects my job better as a first among equals in academia.”

Similar changes in other universities

This initiative by JNU follows similar moves in other Indian states. In February 2025, the Rajasthan government introduced the Rajasthan Universities’ Laws (Amendment) Bill, proposing to replace ‘kulpati’ and ‘pratikulpati’ (Pro-Vice-Chancellor) with ‘kulguru’ and ‘pratikulguru’ in all state university laws written in Hindi.

The bill aimed to reflect India's ancient educational model and was passed in March. Similarly, in July 2024, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved a proposal to rename the Vice-Chancellor's post to ‘kulguru’.