Jamia forms panel amid students' indefinite hunger strike
New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia has constituted a committee to draft the constitution of its students’ union, which was dissolved in 2006, amid an ongoing student protest demanding restoration of elected student representation on campus.
According to a separate notification issued by the Chief Proctor’s office on Wednesday, October 21, disciplinary action initiated against protesting students between October 12 at 5.30 pm and October 21 will be reviewed.
The notification said students facing such action have been advised to approach the Chief Proctor. However, any cause originating after 5.30 pm on October 21 will invite strict disciplinary action, it added.
Committee to draft constitution of students’ unionAccording to a notification issued by the Registrar’s office, the committee to draft the constitution of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) has been constituted in furtherance of Article 23(J) and (K) of the Jamia Millia Islamia Act, 1988.
The five-member committee will be chaired by Zubair Meenai, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The members are Luqman Ahmad Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences, Aslam Khan of the National Medical College and Public Relations Department (NM PCR), M Amarjeet Singh of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (CNESPR), and Neelofar Afzal, Dean of Students’ Welfare, who will also serve as the convener.
The committee will examine the circumstances that led to the dissolution of the students’ union in 2006, relevant court rulings, and the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee (2007).
It has been asked to consult all stakeholders, including students, and submit a draft by December 20.
The development follows the constitution of a high-level committee on October 18 to engage with protesting students and examine their demands.
According to the university administration, the panel members held discussions with student representatives on October 19 and 20, but the students did not agree to sign the minutes of the discussions.
A meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif was held on Wednesday with members of the high-level committee, deans and other senior university officials to discuss the recommendations and explore ways to restore normalcy on campus, the university said.
The administration said it had also deployed a medical team under the supervision of the chief medical officer to monitor the health of students on hunger strike and stationed an ambulance at the protest site.
Protest on since Oct 12The students have been protesting at the Ghalib Lawns since October 12. The university said it had earmarked Gate No. 18 as a designated space for student protests, while appealing to students to exercise their right to dissent peacefully.
The administration also expressed concern over alleged damage to the Ghalib statue, university gates, walls and other infrastructure during the protest.
The university said it remained committed to addressing the issue of student representation in accordance with the Jamia Act, applicable ordinances and statutes, court orders and the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.
The latest move comes amid demands for the restoration of an elected students’ union at the university, where the body was dissolved nearly two decades ago.
Rejecting the notifications, student representatives said the measures failed to address their three key demands: the immediate announcement of a schedule for the 2026-27 students’ union elections, revocation of disciplinary action against protesters, and removal of the Chief Proctor and the Security Advisor.
They alleged that the decision to constitute another committee to draft the union’s constitution by December 20 was a delaying tactic and objected to the Chief Proctor’s notification stating that any cause arising after 5.30 pm on Wednesday would invite strict disciplinary action.
The students said their indefinite hunger strike, which began on October 12, would continue until the university released the JMISU election notification and schedule.
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