Jamia Millia Islamia has announced a timeline to restore its students’ union and hold elections, bringing a two-week-long protest to an end. The university’s decision on Thursday, October 29, came after students demanded specific deadlines for the restoration process, rejecting an earlier settlement that did not establish a clear election schedule.
Under the revised order, the constitution of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) will be approved and implemented by May 15, 2027. Elections are expected to take place within approximately six weeks of the new academic session beginning in July 2027, potentially placing polling around mid-August. The administration has also agreed to withdraw disciplinary proceedings against students who participated in the agitation.
Jamia students’ union restoration gets a clear deadline
The university’s latest order addresses a major demand of the protesting students by establishing dates for the restoration of the Jamia students’ union. The Registrar’s Office said the union constitution would be approved and implemented by May 15, 2027, with elections to follow within about six weeks of the start of the new academic session, expected around July 16.
The announcement prompted celebrations on campus, with students describing the decision as a victory for their rights. Ebin Basil, who had been on hunger strike for 18 days, called the outcome a significant achievement in Jamia’s history. Another protesting student, Rehan Mewati, said the development marked the triumph of truth.
The university also announced that classes and examinations would return to offline mode from November 8. Academic activities had been shifted online amid the agitation.
The restoration of the Jamia students union marks a significant development for a campus where elected union polls have not been held since 2006.
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Earlier settlement failed over election dates and disciplinary action
The immediate dispute centred on the university’s October 26 order, which stated that elections would be held 15 days after approval of the students’ union constitution. Protesters rejected the arrangement because it did not specify when the constitution would be approved, leaving the election timeline uncertain.
Students had demanded that the constitution be drafted and approved by December 20, followed by elections within 15 days. The revised schedule instead sets May 15, 2027, as the deadline for implementing the constitution and provides for elections after the next academic session begins.
The earlier settlement also became contentious because students objected to conditions requiring an apology for alleged defamatory statements and the removal of social media posts targeting the administration. Protesters argued that students should not have to apologise for exercising their right to peaceful protest.
The latest order goes further on disciplinary matters. It provides for the withdrawal of show-cause notices and disciplinary proceedings initiated against participating students. Orders concerning suspension, expulsion and restrictions on campus entry are also to be revoked.
These assurances helped resolve the immediate standoff, allowing the Jamia students union protest to end after more than two weeks.
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Jamia’s union elections to return after two decades
The Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union was dissolved in 2006 following what the university described as a series of violent incidents, the last involving an attack on the Vice-Chancellor. The administration subsequently cited a pending Delhi High Court petition from 2012 as a reason elections could not be held, although students disputed that explanation.
The latest agreement opens a path towards restoring the Jamia students’ union after nearly 20 years without elections. However, the process still requires the constitution to be finalised and implemented before polling can take place.
The agitation also followed a similar movement at Aligarh Muslim University, where the administration agreed to restore students’ union elections after a 19-day hunger strike and scheduled polling for November 5.
For Jamia, the next major milestone is May 15, 2027, when the union constitution is due to be implemented. The election schedule will then depend on the start of the new academic session, currently expected in July.
The university’s decision has ended the immediate protest, but the successful restoration of the Jamia students’ union will ultimately depend on whether the announced deadlines are met.