Mon Mar 03 20:00:14 UTC 2025: ## Jamia Millia Islamia Students Challenge Suspensions, Raising Concerns Over Shrinking Space for Dissent on Campuses
**New Delhi, March 4, 2025** – Seventeen Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) students, suspended for protesting against the university’s ban on unauthorized demonstrations, are challenging their suspensions in court. Umehabbeeba Quadri, a second-semester student, filed a plea with the Delhi High Court on March 1st, demanding video evidence to support accusations of vandalism and questioning the suppression of free speech on campus. The court will hear the plea on Tuesday.
The students, who call themselves the “Jamia Seventeen,” were suspended earlier this month for protesting the university’s ban on protests and meetings without prior permission, and the earlier suspension of four PhD scholars for commemorating the fifth anniversary of clashes between anti-CAA protesters and police on the JMI campus. They claim the university is increasingly restrictive, barring even cultural discussions. More students are expected to file individual legal challenges.
This incident highlights broader concerns about the shrinking space for dissent on university campuses across India. Students from JMI cite similar situations at Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as evidence of a nationwide trend. DU is considering a two-tiered student union election system, while JNU has reportedly delayed its student union polls, leading to a torchlight protest by the JNUSU on February 24th. JNU’s administration also imposed a ₹20,000 fine for protests near academic buildings. The JNU Teachers’ Association hasn’t held an election since 2022.
Students allege intimidation tactics, including threats of mark deductions for participating in protests. The JMI hasn’t held student elections since 2005, with the university citing the student union’s overreach. A legal challenge to this ban remains unresolved. Concerns are growing that these actions represent a deliberate effort to stifle dissent on campuses. While university officials maintain that democratic processes will continue, the proposed DU election reforms and the actions at JMI and JNU suggest otherwise.
First Piper 