Universities issue advisories urging students to refrain from joining ongoing protests

Four days after thousands of protesters attempted to march towards the Parliament on July 20, several major Delhi universities have advised their students to refrain from joining the ongoing demonstrations

Four days after thousands of protesters attempted to march towards the Parliament on July 20, several major Delhi universities have advised their students to refrain from joining the ongoing demonstrations.

The first such advisory was issued by Delhi University on July 23. In a post on X, the university stated that “any unlawful assemblies or demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, which are strictly regulated as per the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, may invite legal action.” The post added that such activities could pose risks to students’ personal safety and impact their academic and professional lives. “Accordingly, all students are urged to stay away from Jantar Mantar and to prioritise their safety and compliance with the law. Furthermore, you are advised to exercise caution as a significant amount of fake and misleading content is being created and circulated to fuel the situation,” the post read.

HT had earlier reported that multiple DU professors and students had criticised the university’s stance, stating that DU had aligned itself with the central government in recent years.

The post further asked stakeholders to exercise responsibility on social media, warning that “violations may invite legal consequences under applicable laws as well as disciplinary action under the University’s code of conduct.” It concluded by urging students to uphold “academic responsibility and responsible citizenship”.

Jamia Millia Islamia University became the third institution to post a similar advisory on X on Friday evening, as part of a welcome message to students joining the university in the upcoming academic year. While the post did not mention the protests or Jantar Mantar directly, the fourth paragraph stated: “In keeping with the assurances of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India himself that the interests of the students shall be safeguarded and stern action will be taken against those who have played with the future of the students, JMI appeals to all its students and stakeholders to refrain from any activity that is not in keeping with the law.”

It further advised students to act responsibly, exercise caution and “stay focused on your studies and academic responsibilities and be resolute in fulfilling your primary goal of achieving academic excellence and building a bright career.”