On its 106th Foundation Day, Jamia Millia Islamia had no flag hoisting, no chief guest and no speeches. Instead, more than 100 students remained camped inside the Gulistan-e-Ghalib compound and the Political Science building, as their protest demanding the restoration of the students’ union entered its 18th day on Thursday.On October 22, the university cancelled its Foundation Day celebrations and the Talimi Mela, scheduled from October 29 to November 1, citing the protests.Outside the campus, police announcements urging people not to gather played on a loop, with prohibitory orders under Section 163 in force. Inside, students went ahead with plans to mark the day on their own terms: a flag hoisting, speeches, the national anthem, an address by the hunger strikers and a press conference. A call for a mass hunger strike was to follow.Around 10 am, a delegation from the university administration met the protesters. Students described the meeting as hopeful, saying the professors had listened to their demands and taken them to the Vice-Chancellor.Haneena, a law student, said, “They asked us to put the celebration on hold. They have gone to the Vice-Chancellor with our demands. Let’s see what comes out of it.”Founded on October 29, 1920, in Aligarh, during the Non-Cooperation Movement, Jamia marks its Foundation Day each year with an NCC guard of honour, flag hoisting and an address by a chief guest. Last year, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was the chief guest.The Talimi Mela usually follows, which showcases Jamia’s cultural and educational heritage and typically draws thousands of people from the university and the surrounding neighbourhood.Story continues below this adFor students, the cancellation goes beyond the loss of a celebration. “Foundation Day is a big part of our heritage,” said Haneena. “And they have cancelled it. It shows how much pressure they are under.”She also accused the administration of trying to wear down the protesters by moving classes and practicals online.“They are using every means to pressure us, and it is not working. They moved classes online, practicals too. How will science students and architecture students give practicals online? It is obnoxious. They say one thing one day and do another the next. It is very unpredictable,” she said.The university had decided to extend online classes until November 24 and conduct end-of-semester examinations in online mode, stating that the situation on its campus is “not conducive for academic environment”.Story continues below this adOn Wednesday, the Registrar’s office, in an order, stated that odd-semester teaching would continue online until November 24, while practicals, fieldwork, project viva and minor project viva would be held online from November 25 to 30. Theory end-of-semester examinations will be conducted online from December 1 to 24 that will be followed by winter vacation from December 25 to January 12. Even-semester classes are scheduled to resume on January 13, 2027.Earlier in the morning, women students had taken out a march. Through a broken gate near the hostels, students continued to move in and out of the campus. At the protest site, small groups gathered beneath the Ghalib statue, sitting under yellow and blue tents or talking in the garden.Beyond the compound, the campus was nearly empty. Students walked out of the hostels with bags and trolleys, heading home.