Jamia agrees to students’ demands after weeks of protests over union polls

Jamia Millia Islamia on Thursday announced a timeline for restoring its students’ union, setting May 15, 2027, as the deadline for completing the union’s constitution and scheduling elections within six weeks of the start of the next academic session.

The university administration said the constitution of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) would be completed by May 15, 2027, while elections would be held within six weeks of the commencement of the academic session on July 16, 2027.

The decision follows nearly three weeks of protests and hunger strikes by students demanding the restoration of the elected students’ union, which has remained defunct since 2006.

The latest order addresses a key concern raised by protesters, who had rejected an earlier assurance that elections would be held within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution, arguing that the administration had not specified a deadline for approving the document.

The university has also agreed to revoke disciplinary action linked to the agitation, including show-cause notices, suspensions and campus bans imposed on students for participating in the protests.

The agitation began on October 12, with students demanding a definite election schedule, the withdrawal of disciplinary action and an inquiry into the conduct of security personnel during the protests.

The university’s earlier order had also called on protesting students to issue a public apology for statements and social media posts against the administration, a condition that drew objections from protesters.

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