NEW DELHI, October 28, 2026 – The ongoing protest demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) entered its 17th day on Wednesday, with agitating students refusing to back down despite the administration’s recent announcements.
The standoff has intensified, with university officials sharing visuals of broken windows and alleging that students forcibly entered parts of the campus, damaging surveillance cameras and other university property. The administration, however, has not yet clarified what specific disciplinary action will be taken regarding the alleged damages.
The core of the students’ demand is the revival of the JMISU, which has not held elections since 2006. The agitation continues despite the university issuing an order on Monday stating that students’ union elections would be held within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution. The same order revoked the suspension and show-cause notices previously issued to students during the protests and announced a committee to inquire into the conduct of security staff.
However, protesting students rejected the administration’s decision, pointing out the lack of a concrete deadline for approving the constitution itself. Rehan Khan, one of the four students currently on an indefinite hunger strike, stated, “Our first demand was that student union elections should be revived, and dates for polls be declared.”
Tensions at the campus escalated on Monday when scuffles broke out between protesting students and paramilitary personnel after students were denied entry to the university. In response to the escalating situation, the university shifted all classes to an online mode on October 24, citing concerns for student safety and security.
Adding a political dimension to the unrest, an FIR was registered at the Jamia Nagar police station on October 25 against Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi based on a complaint by University Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi. The FIR alleges that Pratapgarhi forcibly entered the campus by breaking a gate lock, while Masood allegedly scaled a boundary wall using a ladder. The charges invoke provisions related to criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Meanwhile, student representatives from various organizations, including NSUI, SFI, and AISA, alongside alumni and civil society members, held a press conference expressing solidarity with the protesters and urging the administration to engage in meaningful dialogue to restore democratic spaces on the campus.
Published by True Roots Media Network