Students see ‘familiar playbook’ as DU, colleges endorse govt. action

With a nationwide protest call on Friday, Delhi University on Thursday evening asked its students to “stay away from Jantar Mantar” and prioritise safety and compliance with the law. The advisory comes amid criticism from students and teachers after the university and some colleges backed the government’s actions.

In a post on X, the university said unlawful assemblies at Jantar Mantar, which are strictly regulated as per Supreme Court directives, may invite legal action, and urged students to avoid the area. “Such activities can also pose serious risks to students’ personal safety and significantly impact their academic progress and professional opportunities,” it added.

Earlier, the university had said “vested interests” were exploiting students’ fears, while some college principals expressed support for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Students and faculty members said these responses reflect a “familiar playbook”.

In a post on Wednesday, Delhi University said it recognised students’ pain and anxiety but added that “vested interests” were exploiting their fears instead of easing them.Soon after, Shyam Lal College and Shaheed Bhagat Singh College posted messages backing Mr. Pradhan, praising his role in driving education reforms under the NEP.

On Thursday, the university welcomed the government’s decision to set up fast-track courts for paper leak cases and urged activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his fast in the interest of students.

Parichay, a second-year law student, said principals were “not realising that students’ frustrations have gone beyond campus” and added that the administration had “lost credibility”. Another student, Kanikshka Jinwal, said she did not see a future for herself in the country and that authorities appeared indifferent to students, including those injured during the violence.

With the new academic session set to begin on July 28, discussions around the protests have intensified within colleges. “They have no academic grounds to justify such posts on official handles meant for admission and administrative information,” said Rajesh Jha, a professor at Rajdhani College. Arun Kumar Attree, Principal of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, said the administration backed the government after interacting with students, citing unrest on campus and lack of awareness about the steps being taken.