Jamia students protest to demand on-campus classes

NEW DELHI: With the Delhi University (DU) and the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) restarting in-person classes for students in a phase-wise manner, the students of Jamia Millia Islamia on Wednesday demanded that the varsity also restart on-campus classes in a similar fashion.

In a demonstration held on the campus, they also demanded the reopening of varsity libraries and reading rooms as well as the canteen and other facilities. The university said all stakeholders, including parents, must be consulted before a decision is taken.

The students, mostly affiliated to the All India Student Association (AISA) and other student groups, questioned the university’s decision to keep the campus shut when malls, cinema halls, and even other educational institutions were reopening with Covid-19 protocols.

Saud Ahmed Qureshi, a postgraduate student who attended the demonstration outside the vice-chancellor’s office on Wednesday, said marginalised students of the university were the worst affected as the prolonged lockdown has made it difficult for them to access devices needed to pursue online education. “The online mode of teaching and learning has left a vast majority of students behind,” he said.

Ahmad Azeem, media coordinator, Jamia Millia Islamia, said, “Views of all stakeholders, including parents, will be taken into consideration before a decision on reopening the campus is taken by the executive council of the university. A large number of students and parents wrote to the university administration that at present, online teaching should continue as the environment is still not conducive for offline classes. Health concern of students in view of Covid-19 is a major issue.”