The directive is seen as an attack on student activism, with calls for greater respect for free speech
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – The move by the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) administration to impose a ban on all demonstrations, sit-ins, and sloganeering without prior permission has triggered widespread protests and concern across the campus. The controversial notice, issued on Sunday, is a direct response to a recent protest by students against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The directive has sparked backlash from student groups, who argue that it is a clear attempt to curtail their right to protest and speak out on issues affecting them and the country.
The current controversy stems from a protest organised by Left-leaning student groups in response to recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, related to the Shahi Jama Masjid survey. The protestors raised slogans against the government, specifically condemning what they termed as the government’s role in the escalating religious violence and its perceived attack on Muslim institutions. The university administration, however, viewed the protest as a breach of campus rules and issued the ban soon after.
“The university’s action is a direct consequence of the growing student resistance to government policies. We were simply exercising our right to peaceful protest, something that the university has long been a space for,” said Amna Khan, a final-year student of Political Science, who participated in the protest. Khan is one of many students who feel that this directive aims to silence critical voices on campus, where student activism has been an integral part of the university’s identity for decades.
In a notice issued by the Registrar’s Office, Jamia authorities have stated that protests, sit-ins, or any forms of sloganeering against constitutional dignitaries, including the prime minister, will not be tolerated. The university has warned that students engaging in such activities without permission would face disciplinary actions, according to the provisions of the university’s rules. The administration also made reference to a similar directive issued in August 2022, which prohibited unauthorised protests.
According to the notice, the new rule effectively bans any protest or public demonstration without prior approval from the university. This move is seen by many as an authoritarian decision that undermines the spirit of academic freedom and student rights. “We are deeply concerned about the decision to ban protests on campus. This is a direct attack on our constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly,” said Sameer Ahmed, a member of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), a student group involved in the protest.
The notice has specifically warned against protests or slogans directed against constitutional dignitaries, drawing a clear line between acceptable student activism and what the administration considers “disruptive.” The university administration claims that the recent protest, which involved students raising slogans against the Prime Minister, disrupted campus life and went against the institution’s core values. However, many students see this as a pretext to clamp down on dissent, especially given the increasing repression of political movements across the country.
“What are we supposed to do? Stay silent when our rights are being trampled upon? The administration is not concerned about the truth; it only cares about appeasing the powers that be,” said Bilal Hussain, a third-year student of history at Jamia. “We have seen this before —every time we raise our voices for justice, we are silenced. But we will continue to stand for what is right, no matter the consequences.”
Jamia Millia Islamia has long been a stronghold of student activism, with its students historically at the forefront of major national movements. In December 2019, Jamia students played a pivotal role in the nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), both of which were widely seen as discriminatory against Muslims. The protests at Jamia were met with violent repression when the Delhi Police entered the campus, resulting in widespread condemnation of the excessive use of force. The police crackdown on students during the 2019 protests remains a point of contention, and it has shaped the current generation’s resistance to governmental overreach.
In the wake of these events, students continued to organise protests and solidarity marches in support of their peers and opposition to the government’s policies. In February 2023, Jamia became embroiled in controversy once again when students attempted to screen a BBC documentary that was critical of the government. The administration, citing concerns over the “sensitivities” of the content, prohibited the screening, leading to clashes between students and campus security. Several students were detained during these protests.
The university’s decision to issue a ban on protests has only heightened concerns about the future of student activism at Jamia. “This is an attempt to stifle any form of resistance. We are being told to stay silent, to accept everything the government does without question,” said Zainab Shah, a first-year student of sociology. “But we won’t be silent. The university is not just a place for academic learning; it’s a space for critical thinking, for questioning and challenging the status quo. Without this, Jamia will lose its identity.”
The All India Students’ Association (AISA) condemned the university’s decision, calling it an attack on student rights and an effort to suppress dissent. “This is not just an attack on students; it is an attack on the very essence of a university. Universities are meant to be spaces for debate, dissent, and free expression,” said Abhay Kumar, a leader of AISA at Jamia. “We won’t allow the administration to crush our voices just because they are uncomfortable with the truth.”
In response to the university’s directive, several student groups have called for protests against the ban. “We are planning to organise a peaceful protest to demand the revocation of this unjust ban. We will not let our rights be taken away,” said Maya Singh, an activist with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) at Jamia. “The university should be a place where we can speak freely and stand up for what we believe in. We won’t allow them to silence us.”
Student groups have also expressed concern over the broader implications of the ban on academic freedom and student rights in India. The country’s universities have long been battlegrounds for political movements, with students often taking the lead in challenging government policies. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend of repression on university campuses, with students facing increasing surveillance, harassment, and criminal charges for their activism.
In a statement, the Delhi chapter of the Progressive Students’ Union (PSU) condemned the Jamia administration’s actions, arguing that the ban is part of a wider attempt to suppress student movements across the country. “Across India, universities are becoming more authoritarian. Students are being persecuted for speaking out, and for protesting against the government. Jamia’s decision is just one example of the growing trend of suppression,” said PSU member Rani Yadav. “We will continue to resist these attempts to silence us, and we will fight for the right to protest, the right to free speech, and the right to dissent.”
The ban on protests at Jamia comes at a time when universities across the country are facing increased scrutiny and control by both state and central governments. Critics argue that such moves undermine the core purpose of universities as spaces for critical inquiry and democratic debate. “A university should be a sanctuary for ideas, a place where we can engage with and challenge prevailing narratives. When universities ban protests, they are essentially silencing dissent and denying students the opportunity to learn from their activism,” said Dr Shahnawaz Khan, a former faculty member at Jamia Millia Islamia. “The university administration’s role should be to support students’ right to express their views, not to suppress them.”
The battle over free expression at Jamia Millia Islamia is far from over. While the university’s ban on unauthorised protests may have temporarily silenced some voices, it has only amplified the determination of students to continue their fight for justice and democracy. In the coming days, student groups are likely to intensify their protests against the administration’s decision, calling for the university to honour its commitment to academic freedom and the right to protest.
As one student put it: “The administration may try to stifle us, but the truth will always find a way to be heard. We won’t back down.”
