Jamia student groups boycott online classes, demand restoration of on-campus academics

Students at Jamia Millia Islamia University’s Centre for West Asian Studies (CWAS) and Department of Sociology have announced a complete boycott of online classes, citing disruption to their academic progression and research work.

The students have demanded the immediate restoration of on-campus classes, as protests over the reinstatement of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) and the removal of the university’s Chief Proctor entered their 18th day on Thursday.

The boycott follows the university’s decision to extend online classes until November 24 and conduct all practical and theory examinations for odd-semester students in virtual mode. The administration has cited an academic environment that is “not conducive” to on-campus teaching.

In separate statements, the two student groups rejected the extension, arguing that prolonged online education without a clear timeline or consultation was affecting their academic work and imposing additional financial burdens.

West Asian studies students demand campus access

Students at the Centre for West Asian Studies said the university’s decision to extend online classes until the end of the semester, while denying physical access to the campus, was disrupting their academic progression, research work and institutional engagement.

“The decision to indefinitely extend online classes until the end of the semester and deny physical access to the university campus disrupts our academic progression, research work, and institutional engagement without providing a definitive timeline or engaging in student consultation,” the CWAS statement said.

The students stressed that access to physical academic resources was essential for their coursework and research.

“For scholars and students at the Centre for West Asian Studies, access to the central library, physical archives, specialised journals, and primary reference materials is fundamental to our coursework and research requirements. These academic resources cannot be replicated or replaced through online platforms,” the statement added.

The group also highlighted the financial strain faced by students who continue to pay for hostel accommodation, rented housing, travel and daily living expenses in Delhi while expecting the university to provide an on-campus educational environment.

“In solidarity with the student body and in defence of our academic rights, the students of the Centre for West Asian Studies hereby declare non-cooperation and announce a complete boycott of online classes until normal physical academic operations and campus access are restored,” the statement said.

The students clarified that participation in virtual classes due to attendance requirements or administrative policies should not be interpreted as voluntary acceptance of the university’s decision.

Their charter of demands includes the immediate restoration of campus access, a definite operational schedule, constructive engagement with the administration, a deadline for the constitutional draft and academic protection.

Sociology students reject online learning extension

The Student Subject Association of Jamia’s Department of Sociology has also announced a complete rejection of the decision to extend online classes until the end of the first semester.

In its statement, the association described the extension as arbitrary, arguing that the administration had failed to provide a definite timeline or meaningfully consult students.

“Such an arbitrary extension of online education, without a definite timeline or meaningful consultation with students, is unacceptable. If students had wanted to pursue their education entirely online, they could have opted for distance-learning programmes,” the statement said.

The association echoed concerns over the financial burden of accommodation, food, travel and other living expenses faced by students.

It also defended the protesting students, saying they were neither enemies of the institution nor a threat to it.

“If protestors have become a nuisance, then administration should simply give them the deadline of constitutional draft and put this all to an end once and for all,” the statement said.

It added that institutional authority should not be used to penalise the wider student community for demanding accountability.

Students say attendance under pressure is not consent

The Sociology Department’s association said students had decided, through their own will and collective agreement, to resume the boycott of online classes.

It also cautioned that participation by a small number of students in virtual classes, whether two, five or any other number, should not be taken as collective acceptance of the administration’s decision.

The statement said students might attend online classes because of attendance requirements, academic uncertainty or fear of adverse consequences under university policies.

Such participation, it said, could not be interpreted as voluntary consent to the extension of online education.

The protests at Jamia continue amid demands for the restoration of the students’ union and the removal of the university’s Chief Proctor.

(with IANS inputs)