JNU students’ hunger strike enters fifth day over campus issues
Students at Jawaharlal Nehru University are on an indefinite hunger strike to protest infrastructure decay, restrictions on campus demonstrations, and the centralized entrance exam system. The students are also demanding the revocation of rustication notices issued to union office-bearers.
Why it matters
The protest reflects broader tensions regarding the autonomy of public universities and the quality of student life in state-funded institutions.
Three office-bearers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) and 14 students on Thursday entered the fifth day of their indefinite hunger strike against what they described as an “attack on public universities”, raising concerns over restrictions on student protests and infrastructure-related issues on the campus.
The students have opposed provisions of the Chief Proctor Manual that prescribe stringent penalties for holding gatherings and protests.
All four JNUSU office-bearers were rusticated for two semesters in February, three of whom are participating in the hunger strike.
JNUSU general secretary Sunil Yadav said, “Our major demands include renovation of the crumbling infrastructure on campus. We also want the administration to bring back the university’s internal entrance examination system as the centralised testing causes a lot of delays.”
He added that the students were also demanding the revocation of the rustication notices issued in February this year.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in