Jamia agrees to students' demands, sets timeline for union polls after 20 years

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Thursday agreed to key demands of protesting students, announcing a definite timeline for restoring its elected students' union, which has remained defunct since 2006, and revoking disciplinary action taken against students during the agitation.

The university administration directed that the approval and implementation of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU) constitution be completed by May 15, 2027. Elections will be conducted within six weeks of the commencement of the next academic session on July 16, 2027.

The announcement came after an 18-day agitation, including a hunger strike by students demanding restoration of the elected union, withdrawal of disciplinary proceedings and greater accountability over the handling of protests on campus.

The university also agreed to revoke show-cause notices, suspensions and campus bans linked to students' participation in the demonstrations.

𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲

According to the revised decision, the university will complete the process of approving and implementing the students' union constitution by May 15 next year, paving the way for elections during the 2027-28 academic session.

Jamia Registrar Prof Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi said the administration had received three principal demands from the protesting students and had accepted all three.

He said student representatives would also be involved in the process of preparing the union constitution, alongside professors and legal experts.

The fresh commitment addressed a major concern raised by students over the university's earlier announcement, which had promised elections after approval of the constitution without specifying when that approval would be completed.

Students had maintained that an assurance without a definite deadline could prolong the restoration process indefinitely.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻

The administration also decided to withdraw disciplinary measures imposed on students in connection with the protests.

These included show-cause notices, suspension orders and restrictions preventing certain students from entering the campus.

The withdrawal of disciplinary action had been among the principal demands of the protesters, who alleged that the administration had attempted to discourage their agitation through punitive measures.

Earlier, students had objected to an October 26 university order that promised to revoke certain disciplinary actions but did not explicitly address all cases involving rustication and campus bans.

They had also opposed a provision requiring protesters to publicly apologise for allegedly defamatory statements or social media posts concerning the administration.

The revised announcement marked a further attempt to resolve the dispute after earlier negotiations failed to bring the agitation to an end.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝘆

The agitation began on October 12, with students demanding the revival of the JMISU, whose elections have not been held for approximately two decades.

Several students undertook a hunger strike, while others participated in demonstrations and sit-ins on the university campus.

The protests intensified after the administration ordered students to vacate certain academic buildings and protest sites, warning of possible disciplinary and legal consequences.

The university subsequently shifted classes to online mode amid the continuing standoff, a move opposed by student organisations.

The agitation also affected the university's 106th Foundation Day celebrations on October 29, with official events cancelled amid the unrest.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱

The university had earlier constituted a five-member committee on October 21 to draft the students' union constitution under the relevant provisions of the Jamia Millia Islamia Act, 1988.

The committee, headed by Prof Zubair Meenai, Dean of Social Sciences, was tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the union's dissolution in 2006, relevant judicial directions and the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee on student elections.

The panel was also expected to consult stakeholders, including students, while preparing the draft constitution.

University officials had maintained that the constitution must comply with the applicable legal and regulatory framework before elections could be conducted.

The latest decision establishes a deadline for completing that process and provides a clearer schedule for the return of elected student representation at Jamia Millia Islamia.

Offline classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, November 2, as the university moves towards restoring normal academic activities following the prolonged agitation.