Jamia Millia Islamia Suspends Four Students Over Spot-Round Admission Protests
Jamia Millia Islamia has suspended four students and barred them from entering the campus following a sit-in protest against alleged irregularities in the university’s admission process in New Delhi. The show-cause-cum-suspension-cum-campus-ban orders were issued by the proctor’s office via email around 10:24 pm on Wednesday.
Those suspended include Jamia National Students' Union of India (NSUI) vice-president Dhruv Chauhan, general secretary Tabrez Afsar, secretary Ebin Basil, and unaffiliated student Jasmin Ali. Basil received a 10-day suspension, Chauhan and Afsar were suspended for seven days each, and Ali was suspended for three days. All four have been directed to explain by September 1 why further disciplinary action should not be taken against them.
The disciplinary action follows a sit-in at the Central Canteen that began on Monday night over alleged discrepancies in spot-round admissions. Protesting applicants claimed that candidates with lower scores were granted seats while others were excluded. The demonstrators demanded an inquiry committee with student representation, the removal of the chief examination officer, admission for excluded applicants, and greater transparency, including the public disclosure of marks.
Security personnel cleared the sit-in early Wednesday morning, after which videos of the action appeared online. The university administration maintained that protesters were removed because they were demonstrating outside the designated protest area.
In its notice, the proctor’s office alleged that Basil organised an unauthorised gathering, raised politically motivated slogans, delivered speeches against the university administration, and mobilised alumni and outsiders. Similar allegations were made against the other students. The notice also stated that protesters blocked access to the Billing Counter and the Girls’ Common Room, disrupted academic and administrative functioning, and ignored repeated directives to disperse.
The proctor's office further alleged that Basil took a phone call from an outsider on speaker during the demonstration to sensationalise the matter, suggesting external interference. Officials stated they had conducted multiple rounds of discussions with the protesters before taking action.
On Tuesday, the university issued a fresh admission list, which some protesters noted included the names of certain previously excluded applicants. However, the demonstration continued.
The suspended students have denied the administration's allegations. Basil stated that the gathering was peaceful and non-violent, explaining that slogans invoking Birsa Munda and Jyotirao Phule, as well as 'Azadi' slogans, were raised. NSUI Jamia has demanded the complete revocation of the suspension and campus-ban orders.
