New Delhi [India], October 26 : Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has issued a ‘final’ warning to protesting students, asking them to immediately vacate the Gulistan-e-Ghalib Building and Ghalib Lawn in the university’s North Campus, according to a notice shared by the protesting students.
“Your presence in the Gulistan-e-Ghalib Building, in which the Department of Political Science and the Department of Economics are located, is unlawful and is causing disruption to the smooth functioning of these departments,” the notice read.
The notice directed the students to vacate the building and the sit-in site at Ghalib Lawn without further delay and leave the campus along with their companions.
“In view of the foregoing circumstances, you are hereby given a final opportunity to immediately vacate the said building as well as the sit-in site at Ghalib Lawn in the North Campus, without any further delay, upon receipt of this notice, and leave the campus along with your companions,” it stated.
The university warned that failure to comply with the directive would invite disciplinary and legal action.
“If you do not vacate the said premises immediately, disciplinary and legal action shall be initiated against you,” the notice added.
Earlier today, Jamia Millia Islamia announced the resumption of its student union elections, ending a two-decade pause following days of intense campus protests. The university administration said elections will be held within 15 days of approval of the students’ union constitution.“The Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union Election will be held after 15 days, from the date of approval of the constitution of the Students’ Union of Jamia Millia Islamia,” the order stated.
An official order dated October 26, 2026, issued by the Office of the Registrar at Jamia Millia Islamia, stated, “The administration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union Election will take place 15 days after the approval of the union's constitution. Furthermore, all suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the protest period have been revoked, and a committee will be constituted to inquire into the actions of the security staff during the protest. In turn, the protesting students submitted that they will issue a public apology via a press conference for any defamatory statements, actions, or posts made against the university administration, with all such social media posts to be taken down immediately. Upon the issuance of this order, the protest was called off immediately.”
The announcement comes after days of protests by students, who have been demanding the restoration of the elected students’ union, which was dissolved by the university administration in 2006.
However, protesting students of Jamia Millia Islamia rejected the university administration’s notice, asserting that their 14-day-long agitation will continue until all their demands are met, including the restoration of the students’ union and a definite timeline for elections.
The students also clarified that those observing a hunger strike would continue it, dismissing reports claiming that they had accepted the administration’s assurances and called off the protest.
Countering media reports claiming that students had accepted the administration’s assurances and withdrawn their protest, the students said such accounts were based on the administration’s version of events and did not reflect the position of the protesting students.
The students maintained that the notice did not provide a clear commitment to the restoration of the students’ union, which remains the central demand of the ongoing agitation. They also confirmed that students observing a hunger strike would continue it until their demands were fulfilled.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the notice, the protesters said it contained vague assurances and failed to specify a timeline for approval of the students’ union constitution or provide a clear roadmap for conducting union elections.
They further pointed out that the notice did not address their demands for the resignation of the Proctor and the Security Adviser.
“We firmly believe that general assurances and ambiguous statements cannot be treated as fulfilment of our demands. The administration must issue a clear, written commitment with a proper timeline addressing all outstanding concerns, particularly the restoration of the students’ union and a definite timeline for the electoral process,” the protesting students said.
They asserted that the administration must take concrete and time-bound decisions on all outstanding demands, adding that the issuance of a notice alone could not be considered a resolution of the protest.
The developments came after days of campus demonstrations and a hunger strike, with students pressing the university to restore the elected students’ union and provide a clear timeline for the electoral process.