Jamia Millia Islamia protest enters Day 14, students hold firm on 3 demands
Synopsis
Fourteen days in, the Jamia Millia Islamia sit-in shows no sign of ending. Students have expanded their demands beyond union restoration to include accountability for alleged force on 17 October and the resignation of the university Proctor — while the administration has quietly shifted all classes online, a signal that the standoff is biting.
Key Takeaways
The student protest at Jamia Millia Islamia , New Delhi , reached its 14th day on 25 October 2026 .
Students are pressing three demands: restoration of the JMIUSU , reversal of suspensions and disciplinary action imposed after 17 October , and resignation of the university Proctor .
Student Farhan Israel also called for the resignation of the chief security advisor .
A brief confrontation occurred at Gate No.
4 after students without hostel ID cards were denied entry.
The university has shifted all courses to online mode amid the continuing agitation.
Allegations about controversial wall slogans remain unverified; student representatives have denied any involvement.
The student protest at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi entered its 14th consecutive day on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with demonstrators continuing their sit-in on campus and refusing to back down until the university administration addresses three core demands. Security personnel have been deployed outside the campus gates as a precautionary measure.
The Three Core Demands
What began as a single-issue agitation has since broadened in scope, according to student representatives. Anish Khan, one of the protesting students, outlined the demands clearly: the first is the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia University Students' Union (JMIUSU), which has remained defunct; the second concerns the reversal of disciplinary action — including suspensions, show-cause notices, and campus bans — imposed on students following events of 17 October; and the third calls for accountability against those accused of allegedly using force against protesters, including the resignation of the university Proctor.
'Students were treated harshly, with many facing disciplinary measures such as suspensions, show-cause notices, and bans from entering the campus,' Khan said, referring to the 17 October incident.
Students Dig In, Administration Goes Online
Another protesting student, Farhan Israel, reiterated the demands and added that the university's chief security advisor should also step down. 'The Jamia Millia Islamia students' union must be restored. Furthermore, the university Proctor and the chief security advisor should resign. Additionally, all disciplinary actions taken against the students must be revoked,' he said.
Amid the continuing agitation, the university administration has moved all courses to online mode, signalling that the standoff is disrupting regular academic activity. This comes amid reports of a brief commotion at Gate No. 4, where an argument broke out between students and security officials after those without hostel identification cards were denied entry. The situation was brought under control shortly after.
Disputed Slogans and Allegations of Diversion
The protest has also been shadowed by controversy over slogans reportedly written on campus walls. Israel disputed any student involvement, alleging the slogans, if written at all, were planted to shift focus from the core issues. 'It has not yet been confirmed that any slogans were written. Even if they were, they must have been written by people from the RSS or ABVP. Such actions are being taken to divert attention from our issues,' he claimed. These allegations remain unverified, and the university administration has not yet publicly responded to them.
Context and What to Watch
The protest at Jamia Millia Islamia is part of a broader pattern of student-administration standoffs at central universities over union rights and disciplinary procedures. The two-week duration and the expansion of demands suggest a deepening impasse. With classes now shifted online, pressure on both sides is mounting. How the university administration responds to the demand for accountability — particularly regarding the events of 17 October — is likely to determine whether the stalemate is resolved or escalates further.
Point of View
Which students say triggered the escalation. The administration's silence on accountability, while deploying security and denying campus entry, risks entrenching positions further. Student union suppression at central universities has a pattern: the longer the vacuum, the more grievances accumulate. The Proctor's office and the administration need to address the 17 October incident on the record — not just manage optics — if there is to be a credible path out of this standoff.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the demands of the Jamia Millia Islamia protesters?
The protesting students have three demands: restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia University Students' Union (JMIUSU), reversal of all disciplinary action — including suspensions and campus bans — imposed after 17 October, and accountability for the alleged use of force against students, including the resignation of the university Proctor and chief security advisor.
Why did the Jamia Millia Islamia protest start?
The protest began over the non-restoration of the JMIUSU, the university's elected student union body. It escalated after disciplinary action was taken against students on 17 October, broadening the movement's demands to include accountability for alleged mistreatment.
How has Jamia Millia Islamia responded to the student protest?
The university has deployed security personnel outside campus gates and moved all courses to online mode. Entry to the campus has been restricted to students with hostel identification cards, a measure that led to a brief confrontation at Gate No. 4 on 25 October.
What happened at Gate No. 4 during the Jamia protest?
An argument broke out between students and security officials at Gate No. 4 after students without hostel identification cards were denied entry. The situation led to a brief commotion but was brought under control shortly after.
What is the controversy over slogans at Jamia Millia Islamia?
Slogans were reportedly written on campus walls during the protest, adding a layer of controversy. Student representative Farhan Israel denied any student involvement, alleging the slogans may have been written by outside groups to divert attention. The claims remain unverified and the university administration has not issued a public statement on the matter.
