New Delhi, Oct 29 Protesting students at the Jamia Millia Islamia on Thursday marked the university’s 106th Foundation Day with an ‘Inquilabi Mela’, boycotting the official celebrations, and reiterated their demand to restore an elected students’ union, even as opposition to the varsity’s decision to shift classes and examinations online gathered momentum.
The university, on its part, has issued a show-cause notice to a female hosteler for allegedly taking emergency leave on misleading grounds and participating in the protests.
The protesting students held the ‘Inquilabi Mela’ at the Gulistan-e-Ghalib near Gate No. 7, where five students are on a hunger strike demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), which has remained defunct since 2006.
The students said their decision to organise the ‘Inquilabi Mela’ was an expression of their commitment to Jamia’s founding ideals, arguing that the university’s legacy should be reflected in democratic participation, freedom of expression and respect for dissent.
The gathering was attended by the five students on hunger strike – Ebin Basil, Rehan Khan, Ritik, Altaf and Abuzar.
The protesters demanded the release of the students sent to judicial custody, withdrawal of disciplinary action against the agitators and a definite timeline for reopening the campus for regular academic activities.
The development comes amid growing opposition to the university’s October 28 order extending online classes till November 24 and shifting odd-semester examinations to online mode, citing concerns over the prevailing campus situation and the safety and security of the students.
Students from the department of commerce and business studies, through their subject association, issued a memorandum rejecting the order, saying the absence of a definite date for resumption of physical classes had created uncertainty over their academic progress and access to the campus.
They said students had enrolled in regular, on-campus programmes for classroom interactions, discussions with peers and access to university facilities, adding that online education cannot fully replace practical learning, fieldwork, community engagement and group activities.
The association also flagged the financial burden on students who had arranged accommodation and relocated to attend the university, demanding a clear timeline for restoring normal academic activities and protection from academic or attendance-related disadvantages arising from the disruptions.
A student group said that students from more than 100 classes had written to their teachers seeking the restoration of offline classes and examinations, and urged others to submit similar representations.
The protesting students have also announced a boycott of online classes until the campus reopens, maintaining that the shift to virtual teaching cannot address their underlying grievances.
The university’s latest order provides for online practical, fieldwork, project, viva and minor project examinations from November 25 to November 30, followed by online theory examinations from December 1 to December 24.
Winter vacation will be observed from December 25 to January 12, and even-semester classes will begin on January 13, the order said.
The administration had earlier ordered online classes till November 8.
The protests have led to disciplinary action against the students.
A show-cause notice dated October 27 was issued to a resident of Begum Hazrat Mahal girls’ hostel, alleging that she had obtained emergency leave on false or misleading grounds and was subsequently found participating in the protests.
The hostel provost directed the student to submit a written explanation within 24 hours, warning that an unsatisfactory response could invite disciplinary action.
A notice circulated by the hostel’s discipline committee said that residents had been asked to take compulsory leave by November 1 in view of the online academic schedule.
The committee said the provost had informed it that the instructions came from higher authorities and that similar directions would apply to other girls’ hostels as well.
However, a university official said that no official notification regarding leaving hostels has been issued yet.
The protesting students demanded the withdrawal of the show-cause notices, alleging that disciplinary measures were being used instead of meaningful engagement with their concerns.
Separately, the president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Vinod Jakhar, has condemned the judicial custody of Zeeshan Ahmad and Faizan and demanded their immediate release.
Jakhar questioned the detention of students demanding union elections and called for a fair examination of the circumstances surrounding their detention, according to a statement issued by the Congress’ student wing.
The university had earlier said that student union elections would be held within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution. It had also revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the agitation and ordered an inquiry into the conduct of the security personnel.
However, the protesters have questioned the absence of a deadline for approving the constitution and announcing the election schedule.
The agitation, which began with a hunger strike, has continued for 18 days, with students demanding a time-bound roadmap for restoring the elected union, withdrawal of punitive action and meaningful dialogue with the administration.
(PTI News)
