The Delhi High Court has stayed the suspension of 17 students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) who were barred from campus for participating in protests. The court has also directed the university to form a committee, under the supervision of the Vice-Chancellor Professor Mazhar Asif, to address the issue in consultation with student representatives.
To recall, the protests, which began in February 2025, were triggered by what students described as “excessive administrative action” against their peers. Many of the protesting students, including doctoral scholars, have been vocal about the university’s disciplinary measures.
Among them is Saurabh Tripathi, a PhD scholar in the Hindi Department, who, along with Jyoti (PhD, Hindi Department) and Niranjan (Law Department), received a show-cause notice from the administration for participating in campus protests without prior approval.
Saurabh Tripathi, who is also one of the petitioners in the case, described the suspensions as “arbitrary” and issued “without due process.”
Speaking to EdexLive, he explained that while four students, including himself, were issued show-cause notices and faced disciplinary committee (DC) hearings, the remaining 13 students received direct suspension letters with no prior warning.
“We waited for 14 days because, as per Jamia’s proctor’s ordinance, the proctor’s suspension power lasts only for that period. But after 14 days, when we approached them, they told us the matter had been forwarded to the vice-chancellor, who then extended the suspension. That’s when we decided to file a petition,” Tripathi said.
The Delhi High Court took note of the students' arguments and ordered the formation of a committee to resolve the matter.
“The court has directed Jamia to call all suspended students and their representatives to sort out this issue. Until the next hearing, the suspension remains stayed,” he added.
The court, in its observations, emphasised that student participation in peaceful protests is part of democratic engagement and underscored that young scholars should be encouraged to voice their concerns within legal frameworks.
The date for the next hearing is yet to be announced and an order copy is still awaited.
Background of the protests
The December 2024 demonstration, which led to disciplinary actions, marked five years since the 2019 police crackdown on JMI students during the anti-CAA (Citizenship (Amendment) Act) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests. Students had gathered to commemorate the event, but the administration deemed the protest unauthorised.
Following this, the February 2025 sit-in protests erupted as students demanded the withdrawal of disciplinary actions against those involved. The administration, however, maintained that the protests disrupted academic activities and defaced public property.
The situation escalated on February 13, when over 10 students were detained by Delhi Police for more than 12 hours amid protests against the disciplinary actions. This led to further criticism from student groups and activists, who alleged the administration was attempting to suppress dissent.
