Delhi University’s fest season gets postponed: Here’s why...

DU recently called for a ban on rallies and public gatherings after protests over the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Equity Regulations 2026. Following this, various colleges including Jesus and Mary and Kamala Nehru have had to postpone or put their annual fest on hold.

During this time, usually the Delhi University (DU) calendar is packed with fests, transforming the campus into concert arenas. But this year, the energy feels different as several colleges have had to postpone or put their annual fests on hold, citing administrative and logistical hurdles. The list includes Jesus and Mary College’s (JMC) Montage, Indraprastha College for Women’s (IPCW) Shruti and Kamala Nehru College’s (KNC) Ullas.

Many colleges have had to postpone or put their annual fests on hold, citing administrative and logistical hurdles. (Photo: Anurag Mehra/HT (For representational purposes only))

“DU recently called for a ban on rallies and public gatherings following protests over the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Equity Regulations 2026,” says Anvesha Tripathi, a student of KNC and member of organising committee of Ullas. Informing about the fest preparation in her college, she adds, “The judges for the planned competitions during the fest were finalised, but at the last moment when the directive came and we had to postpone, they accused us of being unprofessional, which was embarrassing.”

As per a notice from DU, protests and gatherings of five or more people have been barred from February 17 for a month, or until further notice. So it’s not just fest postponements that are upsetting students, but the guidelines have also dampened the spirit of cross-campus participation. When asked whether colleges were directed to restrict annual fest entry to their own students, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president Aryan Maan confirmed to HT City that such a directive had indeed been issued to limit outsiders.

“If a fest hosts inter-college competitions and sees participation from students across DU, then with such restrictions, it will have to be altered. This is not what we wanted, but if a fest needs to be conducted in such a scenario, then we will have to comply,” says Anvesha, informing that KNC’s fest that was scheduled for February 27 to 29 has been postponed for now.

“The reason that this time of the year is such a special moment for students is that they get to experience a feeling of community,” says a student of JMC on condition of anonymity. As a member of the organising team of JMC’s Montage, she adds, “Students from various colleges get to attend fests at different colleges, which brings us all together. Now that we have been instructed to restrict entry to only students of our college, hosting a fest felt forced. So, we thought it’s best to wait for the ban on gatherings to get over.”

Restrictions on participation have also hit fest budgets, with student societies saying sponsorship talks have tightened. Brands, they add, are hesitant to invest amid uncertainty over attendance. “It’s certainly a ripple effect,” says a student from the organising committee of Shruti, the annual fest of Indraprastha College for Women, adding, “We can’t deny the fact that sponsors are not as willing to invest this year. It has affected our entire planning and forced us to reduce our budget to almost half, at the last moment. We aren’t sure if we can bring this up even after postponing the fest.”

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