Delhi University Imposes Protest Ban, Suspensions, and FIRs; Students Refuse to Back Down

Delhi University has witnessed months of student protests, campus dissent and disciplinary confrontations as tensions grow between administrators seeking tighter control and students resisting new restrictions. Demonstrations have taken place across the university and affiliated colleges, with issues ranging from protest rights and campus governance to food shortages and disciplinary action.

University authorities began tightening regulations earlier this year. On February 17, Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh issued an order prohibiting protests and public meetings on campus without prior permission. The move was widely viewed by student groups as an attempt to curb political expression and organised demonstrations within one of India’s most politically active university spaces.

At the college level, controversy deepened after Hansraj College reportedly suspended students over criticism of the administration on social media. There was also an FIR naming 13 students in connection with campus unrest. For a period in March, Delhi Police additionally imposed prohibitory orders under provisions that replaced Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, further intensifying concerns over shrinking democratic space.

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Despite the restrictions, students across campuses have continued mobilising. Demonstrations included utensil-banging marches over alleged food shortages, protests against principals at Lady Shri Ram College for Women and Hansraj College, and gatherings challenging disciplinary actions. Student organisations argued that administrative pressure has only strengthened collective resistance rather than silencing opposition voices.

The unrest reflects a wider clash over how universities should function — whether as tightly regulated institutions focused on order or as open spaces for debate and activism. With no clear resolution in sight, Delhi University remains a key site of contest over student rights, campus autonomy and freedom of expression, issues likely to shape academic politics in the months ahead.

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