Having covered campuses for quite some time, we’ve noticed that students demand action through protests. The rollout of questionable dress codes, holding the administration accountable for girls’ safety at fests, protesting against authorities over examination discrepancies, the presence of unruly miscreants in colleges, and students fighting for a safe and dialogue-friendly environment are what DU, JNU, and Jamia Millia Islamia stand for. So, when the universities urged students to refrain from attending one of the biggest student-led protests of our time, it probably changes the whole idea of an educational institution as a place that makes you an individual who can ask questions, listen to contrary opinions, and agree or disagree with different sides of a story.Many alumni say they are shocked by what has become of their alma mater, once known for shaping them into who they are today. They include filmmakers, actors, bureaucrats, politicians, bankers, judges, and administrators. Most of them remember their alma mater as a place that made them irreverent, taught them the importance of dialogue and politics, and encouraged them to voice their opinions when necessary.
Beyond slogans, students turned protest placards into powerful visual statements, blending humour with activism
When Nirbhaya happened, students were out on the roads. The topic became the centre of many street plays in the DU circuit because they wanted to show their support and protest through their art. So, the question is: what role should a university play when students choose to engage with public issues? Can an institution known for encouraging independent thought also ask students to stay away from a demonstration? Universities have every right to ensure campuses remain safe and academic calendars stay on track.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
But there is a difference between institutional neutrality and discouraging students from exercising their rights outside the classroom.College teaches negotiation, disagreement, and leadership as much as it teaches economics or chemistry. But if we tell students to stay away from protests, what will we teach them in Political Science, History, or Sociology, or through any dialogue on campuses? College is where many discover their voice, and that has always been as much a part of the DU experience as its festivals, canteens, and classrooms. Student politics has often been imperfect, but it has taught generations of students how to engage with disagreement, lessons many have carried long after graduation.It makes one wonder what student politics on campus will look like in the years ahead. Will universities only teach the ideals of society, or will they continue to give students the confidence to question and dissent?
