Jamia moves classes online, shuts campus as union protest escalates
By Aditi KulkarniEducation Writer, Peepals Bharat
File photo: Danish971 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Jamia Millia Islamia moved all classes online and shut its gates on October 24, 2026 as a protest for a students' union escalated; students detained October 25.
What Happened
Jamia Millia Islamia moved classes for all its courses online "with immediate effect until further notice" on Saturday, October 24, 2026, and closed its gates and libraries, citing safety and security after a confrontation between protesting students and university staff. The protest, which began on October 12, demands the restoration of the students' union, suspended since 2006. On Sunday, October 25, the 14th day of the protest, police detained students who tried to enter the campus near Gate No. 7 amid heavy deployment and barricading. The university's Registrar told protesters that elections would be announced once students submitted a draft constitution for the union, but students are seeking a written commitment with a deadline.
Key Facts
- On October 24, Jamia shifted all classes online until further notice and closed its gates and libraries, telling students to follow online schedules and stay away from campus.
- The move followed an attempt by teachers and staff to persuade protesters to leave the protest site, which led to a confrontation, according to reports.
- The protest began on October 12 and seeks restoration of the students' union, suspended since 2006.
- The students list three demands: restore the union, revoke suspensions of protesting students, and remove the Chief Proctor.
- The Registrar said the university would announce elections as soon as students provided a draft constitution for the union, according to reports of his meeting with protesters.
- Students called the closure a "trick" to clear the protest site and termed the library shutdown and online classes "anti-student"; the student group AISA alleged that students were assaulted during negotiations, a claim that has not been independently verified.
- On October 25, police detained students trying to enter the campus near Gate No. 7.
Why It Matters
Jamia Millia Islamia is a central university in Delhi, and decisions there affect students across undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes. Shifting every course online with no end date disrupts teaching, laboratory work, library access and research, especially for students who depend on campus facilities, hostels and the internet connections the university provides. Final-year students and those preparing for exams and placements face the greatest uncertainty.
At the heart of the dispute is student representation. A students' union gives students an elected voice in how a university is run, from hostel and library rules to fee and welfare issues. Jamia's union has been suspended for two decades, and the current protest is the latest attempt to revive it. The university's position, as stated by the Registrar, is that elections can follow once a constitution for the union is drafted. The students' position is that they want that promise in writing, with dates, and want disciplinary action against protesters withdrawn.
The episode has escalated over the past two weeks. Earlier, the university formed a seven-member panel for talks with hunger-striking students, and later rusticated one student and suspended two. The closure of the campus and the detentions on October 25 mark a sharper turn, and the key question now is whether both sides can agree on a timeline that allows classes to resume in person.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| October 12 | Protest for restoration of students' union begins |
| October 24 | Classes moved online; gates and libraries closed; Registrar meets protesters |
| October 25 | Police detain students trying to enter campus; protest in 14th day |
Impact
Short-term: Students must attend classes online and cannot use the library or campus facilities until the university reopens. Further protests and detentions are possible while talks stall.
Long-term: The outcome will decide whether Jamia restores an elected students' union after 20 years, and on what terms, which could shape student politics on other central university campuses as well.
Who is affected: Jamia's students, especially research scholars and final-year students who need campus facilities; teachers and staff; and residents and commuters near the campus affected by barricading.
Key Takeaway
Jamia has moved all classes online and shut its campus as a two-week protest for a students' union escalates; the Registrar has promised elections once a draft constitution is submitted, but students want a firm written timeline.
Questions and Answers
Why did Jamia Millia Islamia move classes online?
The university moved all classes online on October 24, 2026, and closed its gates and libraries, citing safety and security after a confrontation between protesting students and staff.
What are the Jamia students protesting for?
They want the students' union, suspended since 2006, restored, suspensions of protesting students revoked, and the Chief Proctor removed.
When will Jamia students' union elections be held?
No date has been set. The Registrar said elections would be announced once students submit a draft constitution for the union; students want a written commitment with a deadline.
When will in-person classes resume at Jamia?
The university has said classes will stay online until further notice and has not given a date for reopening.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Aditi Kulkarni, Education WriterCovers Education and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Aditi Kulkarni
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Aditi Kulkarni is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
