NEW DELHI: For Jamia Millia Islamia students, the next classroom session on campus is now scheduled for next year, with the university extending online classes till November 24 and announcing that even-semester classes will resume only on January 13, 2027, amid the ongoing agitation over the restoration of the students’ union.
In an office order issued on Wednesday, the university said the decision was taken after a meeting of deans, heads of departments, directors, and other officials at the FTK-Centre for Information Technology (FTK-CIT) at 4.30 pm. The administration said the campus situation was not conducive to an academic environment, and the extension was necessary to ensure students’ safety and security.
The university had earlier announced that classes would be conducted online till November 8. The fresh order extends the arrangement by over two weeks, with odd-semester teaching scheduled to continue online until November 24.
Practical examinations, fieldwork, project vivas, and minor project vivas will be held online from November 25 to 30, followed by online end-semester theory examinations from December 1 to 24.
The university will then observe winter vacation from December 25 to January 12, with even-semester classes scheduled to begin on January 13.
Effectively, the revised calendar means students will have no scheduled return to physical classes before the new year, as academic activities continue online through the examination period. The order directed departments to ensure the smooth conduct of online classes and examinations and maintain attendance records.
The decision comes as the student agitation demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union continues, with the hunger strike entering its 17th day on Wednesday. The extension marks a further postponement of on-campus academic activity as the standoff between students and the administration persists.
Agitation shifts from campus to virtual classrooms
As Jamia shifted classes online amid the ongoing agitation for the restoration of the students’ union, the protest found a new platform—virtual classrooms.
On the 17th day of the hunger strike, students reportedly changed their display pictures to “Respect My Resistance or Expect My Existence," while some have disrupted online lectures by making loud noises and unusual sounds, videos circulating on social media show.
One screenshot of an online lecture went viral on Wednesday, where one professor Dr Iqtidar can be seen, while other profiles have similar display pictures.
“This is how we can express our dissent. Even the professors are not ready to listen to us. What is the point of studying at such a university where we cannot even express our opinions? This was a collective decision. We will change our DPs,” a second-year student said.
