Jamia Millia Islamia suspends classes for today, January 27, after students attempt to screen BBC documentary

Jamia Millia Islamia has suspended classes today, Friday, January 27 "on the request of students and faculty members", the university said in a statement issued on Thursday, January 26 after a few students tried to screen the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on campus.

In an office memo dated January 26, the administration said all offices of the university, including the departments, centres and schools, will function as usual. "The Vice Chancellor, JMI, on the request of faculty members and students, has approved that all classes in the university, including university schools, shall remain suspended on Friday, 27.01.2023. However, all offices of the university, including Departments, Centres and Schools, will function as usual,” the memo stated.

Moreover, it added that the scheduled meetings of Selection Committees and other programmes, including examinations, if any, will also be held as per notified schedule.

About 13 students of the Jamia Millia Islamia University were detained by the police over organising a screening of the controversial BBC documentary on PM Modi inside the university campus on Wednesday, January 25. The Delhi Police detained the students who were sloganeering outside Jamia, even before the screening could take place. The detained students were released yesterday.

An ANI report quotes Vice-Chancellor, Najma Akhtar, saying, "Nothing happened inside our university, an attempt was made but it was completely foiled. Whatever happened, happened on the streets. It was a small incident blown out of proportion. Our precautionary measures were good."

The administration also emphasised that it is taking measures to prevent anybody from destroying the peaceful atmosphere of the university. The move to detain students at JMI came on the order of the Chief Proctor, as per ANI reports.