Jamia students call off stir as union demand accepted

SOCIAL – UNREST

30 OCTOBER 2026

• The Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) administration agreed to the protesting students’ demands to set dates for drafting and approving the students’ union constitution and holding elections for the same, following which the protesters called off their 18-day stir.
• As per the Registrar’s order, the constitution will be drafted and approved by May 15, 2027.
• The development came on JMI’s 106th Foundation Day, which the administration and the protesters celebrated separately.

Jamia Millia Islamia

• It literally means National Islamic University.
• It was established on October 29, 1920, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.
• Its founding was a direct consequence of the Non-Cooperation Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi.
• It aimed to create an independent national educational institution that would foster modern scientific and liberal education deeply rooted in Indian nationalism, self-reliance, and communal harmony.
• In 1925, following a period of acute crisis, the institution moved from Aligarh to Karol Bagh, New Delhi, to remain close to the center of the national movement.
• Dr. Zakir Husain returned from Germany in 1926 to take over as Vice-Chancellor, leading the university through its most critical formative decades with immense dedication, often relying on public donations and volunteer faculty who worked without regular salaries.
• In 1935, the university shifted to its current permanent campus in Okhla, New Delhi, laying the foundation stone for the sprawling campus seen today.
• During the 1930s and 40s, Jamia became the testing ground for Mahatma Gandhi’s educational philosophy of Nai Taleem (Basic Education).
• The approach integrated academic learning with practical craft-centered work, character building, and social service, reflecting the self-reliant ethos of the freedom struggle.
• In 1962, the government of India recognized Jamia Millia Islamia as a “Deemed to be University“ for its unique educational contribution.
• In 1988, an Act of Parliament officially made Jamia Millia Islamia a Central University, granting it statutory permanence, expanded funding, and structural growth.