Jamia Students End Protest After Agreement With University Administration

Students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) protesting for the restoration of the students' union have called off their agitation after reaching an agreement with the university administration. 

The decision brings an end to a protest that had continued for nearly two weeks and centred on demands for the revival of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU) and the withdrawal of disciplinary action against participating students.

According to an order issued by the Registrar, the protest will be discontinued with immediate effect following a mutual understanding between the administration and the agitating students. As part of the agreement, student union elections will be conducted within 15 days of the approval of the union constitution.

The university administration has also agreed to revoke the suspensions and show-cause notices that were issued during the course of the protest. In addition, a committee will be constituted to investigate the actions of security personnel during the agitation.

Under the terms of the agreement, the protesting students will also publicly apologise at a press conference for the alleged offensive remarks and social media posts made against the university administration during the protest. 

Demands For Student Union Restoration

The students had been demanding the reinstatement of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU) and the withdrawal of disciplinary measures taken against them. Protesters argued that student union elections have not been held at the university since 2006 and called for the restoration of elected student representation on campus.

Photo Credit: PTI

The agitation began nearly two weeks ago and intensified in recent days. 

According to the Students' Federation of India (SFI), four students had been on an indefinite hunger strike, while a PhD scholar identified as Sanam had been staging an indefinite sit-in at the Gulistan-e-Ghalib lawns.

Earlier on Saturday, the university administration made a fresh attempt to persuade the students to end the protest. More than 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff members, accompanied by Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, marched from the Ansari Auditorium lawns to Gate No. 7, where the protesters were gathered.

The university said staff members repeatedly appealed to the students for more than two hours to vacate the protest site. However, according to the administration, the protesters refused to leave. The university further alleged that some students pushed security personnel, teachers and staff members during the interaction, after which the staff withdrew from the site.