Jamia Issues 'Final' Warning to Protesting Students: Vacate Campus Now!
Jamia Millia Islamia warns protesting students to vacate campus as tensions rise over the restoration of student union elections.
Tensions have escalated at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) as the university administration has issued a stern 'final' warning to students currently protesting on campus. The administration has demanded that the students immediately vacate the Gulistan-e-Ghalib Building and the Ghalib Lawn located in the university’s North Campus.
'Unlawful Presence' and Disruption
According to a notice shared by the protesting students, the university has labeled their presence in the Gulistan-e-Ghalib Building—which houses the Departments of Political Science and Economics—as unlawful. The administration claims that the ongoing sit-in is causing significant disruption to the smooth functioning of these academic departments.
The notice explicitly directs the students to leave the building and the sit-in site at Ghalib Lawn without any further delay. Furthermore, the university has instructed the protesters to leave the campus entirely along with their companions.
"In view of the foregoing circumstances, you are hereby given a final opportunity to immediately vacate the said building as well as the sit-in site at Ghalib Lawn in the North Campus... and leave the campus along with your companions," the notice stated.
The university has made it clear that there will be no further warnings. Failure to comply with this directive will result in immediate disciplinary and legal action against the students involved.
The Battle Over Student Union Elections
This crackdown follows days of intense campus unrest. The core of the conflict is the demand for the restoration of the elected students’ union, which was dissolved by the university administration back in 2006. For nearly two decades, the student body has been without an elected union.
In an attempt to quell the unrest, Jamia Millia Islamia recently announced the resumption of student union elections. An official order issued by the Office of the Registrar on October 26 stated that elections would be conducted within 15 days following the approval of the Students’ Union constitution.
As part of a perceived compromise, the administration also announced:
- The revocation of all suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the protest period.
- The formation of a committee to investigate the conduct of security staff during the protests.
In exchange, the administration expected protesting students to issue a public apology via a press conference for any defamatory statements or social media posts directed at the university leadership.
Students Reject 'Vague' Assurances
Despite the administration's claims that the protest was called off, the students have vehemently rejected this narrative. They have dismissed media reports suggesting they accepted the university's assurances, calling such accounts a one-sided version of events.
The protesting students assert that their 14-day-long agitation will continue. They argue that the administration's notice is filled with vague promises and lacks a concrete roadmap or a definite timeline for the approval of the constitution and the subsequent elections.
Moreover, the students have confirmed that those currently observing a hunger strike will continue to do so until every single one of their demands is met, maintaining that the central goal—the full restoration of the students' union—remains unfulfilled.