Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has shifted all courses to online mode amid an alleged administration crackdown on student protesters demanding the restoration of the university’s students’ union, which was dissolved in 2006.
The move comes as students continue their agitation, including a hunger strike that began on October 12, with protesters alleging that the administration is attempting to suppress the movement. The university has also cancelled its foundation day celebrations, while students claim that a wall has been constructed near the protest site, further escalating tensions on campus.
In an official notice issued on Saturday, October 24, the university said the decision to move classes online was taken to ensure the safety and security of “bonafide students”.
“In view of the ongoing situation and in order to ensure the safety and security of bonafide students in the university campus, the competent authority, JMI, has decided to conduct classes of all courses of the university through online mode with immediate effect until further notice,” the notice stated.
The notice was signed by JMI Registrar Mohd Mahtab Alam Rizvi. The administration also directed faculty members to facilitate the transition by providing students with the necessary academic support and learning materials.
The decision came amid reports of action against the student protest site at Gulistan-i-Ghalib Garden inside the campus, near Gate No. 7.
Videos circulated online on Saturday purportedly showed the removal of a tent used by protesting students and security personnel asking demonstrators to disperse.
Ebin Basil, a 22-year-old student who has been on a hunger strike since October 12, said that several professors, along with the registrar, met the protesting students in the morning. However, the discussions ended without a satisfactory outcome, he said.
Basil alleged that security guards removed the tent on the administration’s directions and moved the hunger strikers into the Faculty of Economics building. He further claimed that an ambulance was called to take them away against their wishes, while other students gathered outside to prevent their detention.
An official source familiar with the development confirmed that a group of professors had met the students and urged them to end the hunger strike, citing concerns about their health.
Saurabh Tripathi, a student protester and secretary of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) at Jamia, alleged that the administration’s actions were intended to weaken the movement and discourage other students from joining it.
He said the alleged action against hunger strikers and the protest site had taken place even as negotiations with a committee formed by the administration remained underway.
Another 22-year-old master’s student, who requested anonymity, said the reference to “bonafide students” in the online-class notice risked creating divisions among students.
The student maintained that the protest had remained peaceful and that participation was voluntary. They argued that the administration’s stated safety concerns should not be used to undermine the movement demanding the restoration of the students’ union.
The students’ demands remain unresolved, while the shift to online classes, cancellation of foundation day celebrations and reported changes near the protest site have added to tensions on campus.
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