New Delhi [India], July 8 : Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Nitish Kumar was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday night after he complained of severe chest pain. Kumar, along with several students, has been on an indefinite hunger strike for over a week, demanding reversal of recent policy decisions related to PhD admissions and hostel accommodations.
In a statement, the JNUSU said, "We demand immediate attention to his health and the just demands of the students. The administration's silence in the face of a serious health emergency is unacceptable." The union said Kumar had gone without food for several days as part of the protest, and his condition deteriorated rapidly.
The indefinite hunger strike began on June 26, with students demanding the reinstatement of JNU's in-house entrance exam (JNUEE) for PhD admissions instead of relying solely on the UGC-NET and CUET mechanisms. Students have also demanded the withdrawal of eviction notices issued to PhD scholars and the assurance of hostel accommodation until the completion of thesis submission.
While the university has stated that financial and logistical constraints make it difficult to hold separate entrance exams for all departments, it has agreed to conduct JNUEE only for Cinema Studies and Korean Studies. Admissions to other PhD programmes will be based on national eligibility tests. The administration has also announced a second PhD admission cycle in December and agreed to extend hostel stay for scholars in the final stages of submission.
Despite these steps, the JNUSU has alleged that the administration remains unresponsive to the broader set of student concerns. Several students participating in the protest have reported health complications. The union has reiterated its demand for a dialogue with the administration and warned that it will intensify the agitation if the demands remain unmet.