Jamia Issues Final Warning To Hunger-Striking Students, Extends Online Classes Till November 8

Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday gave Rehan Khan and Ebin Basil a last warning, asking them to leave the protest site at once and cautioning them that legal and disciplinary steps would follow if they stayed put. Their hunger strike for the students' union had reached day 15. The university also extended online classes to November 8 and said second mid-term semester examinations would be conducted online because of security concerns.

The warning came even after the university announced a timeline for students' union elections. Officials stated that polls would be held within 15 days of approval of the union's constitution, but the two students continued their protest, saying the order did not set any deadline for approving the document.

Union Election Dispute

The dispute centres on the revival of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU). The union was dissolved in 2006, and elections have not been held since.

The university stated that polls would follow within 15 days of approval of the constitution. The hunger-striking students want the constitution drafted and approved by December 20, with elections held within 15 days after that.

"Our first demand was that student union elections should be revived, and dates for polls be declared," Khan said, questioning why the constitution-approval process has no deadline. The students have written to the university seeking revisions to the registrar's order and say their central demand remains unanswered.

Campus Tensions And Detentions

The standoff also spread beyond campus gates.

Police and paramilitary personnel blocked the university gates on Monday and kept students from entering. Some students were seen climbing the gates to get inside as tensions escalated.

Police detained at least 40 students outside the university, and they were later released that night from the Okhla Industrial Police Station.

University Order And Demands

The university order combined concessions with conditions. Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi issued it on Monday after the administration reviewed a demand letter from the hunger-striking students and their representatives. It said the student union elections would be held within 15 days of approval of the constitution.

Suspension orders and show-cause notices issued during the protest were withdrawn, and the university said it would set up a committee to review the conduct of security personnel during the agitation.

The order tied the relief to a public apology. It said the protesting students had agreed to apologise at a press conference for defamatory statements, actions or social media posts against the administration during the agitation, and ordered those posts to be taken down from social media platforms at once.

The students have demanded that all disciplinary action linked to the agitation be withdrawn, including show-cause notices, suspensions, campus bans and rustication orders. They have also sought assurance that no further action will be taken against protesters.

They also want the university's chief security adviser to resign. The students have said no protester should be made to apologise for using the constitutional right to peaceful protest, and that the hunger strike and agitation will go on until their demands are met.

Online Classes Extended

Jamia also extended online teaching.

The university stated that classes across courses would remain online until November 8, and that second mid-term semester examinations would also be held online because security concerns continue. The decision followed a meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif with deans, heads of departments, directors and other officials.

Jamia said it will assess the campus situation after November 8 before deciding whether online classes should continue. It added that deans, department heads and directors will finalise the timetable and procedure for the online mid-term examinations with the Controller of Examinations.