Students Protest at New Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia Demanding Union Elections After 20-Year Suspension

Students at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, India, are protesting for the restoration of a campus students' union that has been suspended for 20 years. The demonstrations include a prolonged hunger strike by law student Ebin Basil and several peers, alongside campus gatherings near the Mirza Ghalib statue.

Background and Context

Jamia Millia Islamia, established in 1920, has experienced long interruptions in student representation. The university held its first union election in 1981, but elections were discontinued in 1987, resumed briefly in 2005, and dissolved the following year after administration disputes. While the university has allowed department-level bodies, campus-wide elections have remained absent.

Administration Response and Student Concerns

• Administration Offer: Jamia administration announced plans to draft a union constitution adhering to University Grants Commission guidelines, setting a December 20 deadline for a committee to draft the constitution and holding elections within 15 days of its approval.
• Student Reception: Protesters rejected the offer as too slow, noting the absence of a strict deadline for final approval and expressing distrust in the administration.
• Campus Restrictions: Following escalating demonstrations, authorities transitioned classes online, closed the campus until January 13, stationed security forces outside gates, and urged hostel residents to vacate.

Verification and Claims

Protesters, including student representatives like M K Nausheen Farook and Mantasha Irfan, alleged administrative pressure, supply restrictions, and resistance to student mobilization. Conversely, university spokeswoman Saima Saeed defended the administration's actions, stating they are the first in 20 years to accept the demand for a union, while emphasizing that statutes and court orders require careful review.