Jamia shifts all classes online amid students’ protest, citing campus security concerns

NEW DELHI: Jamia Millia Islamia has shifted classes across all courses to online mode with immediate effect until further notice, as protests demanding the restoration of the university’s students’ union entered their 13th day on Saturday, October 24.

In a notice, the university said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure students’ safety and security while safeguarding their academic interests and maintaining continuity in teaching.

The announcement comes amid an ongoing agitation by students demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), which has remained defunct since 2006. Five students began an indefinite hunger strike on October 12, seeking an official schedule for union elections for the 2026–27 academic session.

The protesters have also demanded the withdrawal of disciplinary action against students involved in the agitation and the removal of the university’s chief proctor and security adviser.

Tensions escalated on Saturday amid allegations by student groups that university staff and security personnel attempted to remove hunger strikers from the protest site while discussions with the administration were underway. The All India Students’ Association (AISA) alleged that protesters were assaulted. These allegations could not be independently verified.

The university has constituted a high-level committee to engage with students and examine their demands. However, the committee has maintained that announcing election dates would be premature without a constitution and an electoral mechanism for the union.

The administration has not announced a date for the resumption of physical classes.