The Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) chapter of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) has strongly condemned the university administration's latest directive reiterating a restrictive 2022 circular. The notice, released on November 29, 2024, prohibits protests, sit-ins, slogan-raising, and any form of gatherings on campus without prior approval. The SFI has described this move as an attack on students' fundamental rights to freedom of expression and a blow to campus democracy.
The original circular issued in 2022 barred students from organising gatherings without official permission. Since then, requests for hosting independent cultural or political events have been routinely denied, according to SFI Jamia. Adding to the frustration, students have reportedly received showcase notices for violating these restrictions.
In response to the recent notice, SFI Jamia released visually striking posters condemning the administration’s decision. The posters emphasise the critical importance of protests and dissent, framing them as constitutionally protected rights. "Critical thinking, debate, and discussion are essential to any academic institution," reads the statement.
Sakhi, the President of Jamia’s SFI unit, criticised the administration’s action in light of SFI’s recent protest against the Sambhal violence. “This notice is undoubtedly against student voices, their freedom of expression, and campus democracy. We already lack student representation in the form of a union, and now students can’t even voice their concerns freely,” she said. Sakhi highlighted that despite the absence of a student union, SFI Jamia has consistently worked to ensure that students’ issues — such as exam-related discrepancies and administrative indifference — are addressed. “In the absence of a union, we stand as a platform to raise concerns over injustices,” she added.
The administration’s stance has drawn sharp criticism for creating an environment where student activism and democratic engagement are stifled. For institutions like Jamia, where political expression and cultural diversity have historically thrived, such measures risk eroding the fabric of a vibrant academic community.
