As a protest by students in demand of the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), along with a fixed election date and schedule, entered Day 16 on Tuesday, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said negotiations were underway.The Minister also appealed to the protesting students at the university not to create a law-and-order situation on the campus.“Many efforts have been made … there have been no elections since 2006, for more than a decade. Negotiations are underway. Nobody should try to create a law-and-order problem. That is my appeal. The authorities concerned, including the Vice-Chancellor, are looking into the remaining issues,” Joshi said.Despite the university’s decision to hold elections within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution, students have refused to call off the protest.Also Read | 'All demands not met': Jamia agrees to hold union polls but students' stir still onOutside the university on Tuesday more than 15 police buses and riot-control vehicles were stationed. Security personnel carried tear gas shells. Announcements were being made with officers asking people not to come out in groups and stay away from the protest as prohibitory orders under BNSS Section 163 were imposed in the area.At Ghulistan-e-Ghalib compound inside the main university campus, more than 200 students remained.“The campus is completely cordoned off,” said Haneena, one of the organisers of the protest. “They have closed the canteen. They have sealed the gates. They have imposed (BNSS) Section 163 outside. There are riot-control vehicles, tear gas vehicles. Announcements are being made.”Story continues below this adFood and water, meanwhile, reached them over the boundary walls with spikes and barbed wires. At the Political Science block, there were mattresses and a few pillows. The protesters took turns: a few rested as the rest kept a watch.Also Read | Inside Jamia’s biggest protest since 2019: ‘If DU and JNU can have a Union, why can’t we?’Outside the building, a whiteboard was erected on a wooden chair. It displayed names and beside each were mentioned the weight they lost. Ebin has lost 7.1 kg in 16 days. Rehan by the 13th day of his strike lost 3.8 kg. Ritik, Abuzar and Altaf joined the hunger strike on Monday. Against their names, the ‘weight loss’ section was blank.Protesters said Ebin and Rehan have grown very weak — now struggling to even speak.Story continues below this adInside, the students mostly stayed put. Meanwhile, students, who tried to enter the campus but failed, raised slogans outside.A university official told The Indian Express, “We have tried to talk. Two delegations of professors and the provost went in on Tuesday. The first, comprising only women faculty staff, went at 8 am. The second went around 7 pm.”“Efforts have been made from our side to listen to the students. In acute lawlessness, it is difficult to run a university. We have seen people from outside roaming inside. They have broken the gates. We are also concerned about the safety of the women students inside,” the official said.“A constitution cannot be made in haste. It is a deliberate, structured process, and it takes time. The students should understand this. They should end the hunger strike and meet us in the middle.”Haneena said both rounds ended in deadlock.Story continues below this ad“They told us the process is long and cannot be hastened,” she said. “We still say there must be a timeline. Framing this constitution is a legal duty the university has under the Jamia Act, and the Supreme Court has directed it. So why has it not been done till now?”Haneena pointed out that for more than 100 women currently living inside the institute, there are only two washrooms. “They have not been cleaned in two weeks. Earlier we could use the bathrooms in the Geography department and the library. They have shut those too. If they are worried about the safety of women, doesn’t their health and hygiene count as safety?”Outside the Political Science block, a tent fluttered in the wind as some students sat under it on a run-down mattress.