JNU students' union hunger strike passes 12 days as 200 join relay fast
File photo: Khanahmedsam (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
The JNU Students' Union's indefinite hunger strike entered its 12th day on October 15, 2026, with over 200 students joining a relay fast over rustications and campus demands.
What Happened
The indefinite hunger strike by office-bearers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) entered its 12th day on Thursday, October 15, 2026, and more than 200 students joined a mass relay hunger strike on the Delhi campus in solidarity, according to reports. The union's main demand is that the university revoke the rustication of its office-bearers and of a former JNUSU president. It is also seeking the rollback of the university's Chief Proctor Office (CPO) manual, the restoration of the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE) and of the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH), and repairs to campus infrastructure. The union said there had been no concrete response from the administration after three rounds of talks.
Key Facts
- JNUSU office-bearers began an indefinite hunger strike in early October; it entered day 12 on October 15, 2026.
- More than 200 students joined a relay hunger strike in solidarity, reports said.
- The main demand is revocation of the rustication of union office-bearers and a former JNUSU president.
- Other demands include rolling back the CPO manual, restoring the JNUEE and GSCASH, setting up an equal opportunity cell in line with the proposed Rohith Act, and repairing hostels and other infrastructure.
- The union said the strikers had each lost more than 4 kg by day 12 and that three rounds of negotiations had produced no concrete offer.
- The union said Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit had not met the protesting students.
Why It Matters
JNU is one of India's best-known public universities, and disputes over student discipline, admissions and campus governance there are closely followed across the higher education sector. Rustication, which removes a student from the university for a period, is among the most serious disciplinary steps a university can take, and using it against elected union leaders is bound to be contested.
The other demands go to how the university is run: how students are admitted, through the JNUEE; how sexual harassment complaints are handled, through GSCASH; and the rules on campus conduct set out in the CPO manual. Each touches thousands of students, not only the union's leaders.
The health of the strikers is now a concern. An indefinite hunger strike that has run for nearly two weeks carries real medical risk, and the growing relay shows the protest is widening rather than winding down. How and when the administration responds will shape campus life in the weeks ahead.
| Demand | What students want |
|---|---|
| Rustications | Revoked for union office-bearers and a former president |
| CPO manual | Rolled back |
| Admissions | JNUEE restored |
| Harassment complaints | GSCASH restored |
| Infrastructure | Hostel and campus repairs |
Impact
Short-term: Classes and campus activity may be disrupted while the strike continues, and the strikers' health will need monitoring.
Long-term: The outcome could set the terms for student discipline, protest rules and admissions at JNU, and will be watched by students at other central universities.
Who is affected: JNU students and teachers, the union's office-bearers facing rustication, the university administration, and applicants affected by JNU's admission process.
Key Takeaway
The JNUSU hunger strike has passed 12 days with more than 200 students joining a relay fast, and the dispute over rustications, admissions and campus rules remains unresolved.
Questions and Answers
Why is the JNU students' union on hunger strike?
Its main demand is that the university revoke the rustication of its office-bearers and a former JNUSU president. It also wants the CPO manual rolled back, the JNUEE and GSCASH restored, and campus repairs.
How long has the JNU hunger strike lasted?
It entered its 12th day on October 15, 2026, according to reports.
How many students have joined?
More than 200 students joined a relay hunger strike in solidarity with the union.
What has the administration said?
The union said three rounds of talks produced no concrete offer and that the Vice-Chancellor had not met the protesters. Reports did not carry a detailed response from the administration.
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.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
