The Jamia Millia Islamia administration has rusticated one student, suspended two and imposed a one-year campus ban on all three, who had launched an indefinite hunger strike earlier this week demanding the restoration of the university’s students’ union.The orders, issued on Friday, stated that Ebin Basil, an LLB student, has been rusticated for one year with immediate effect. The two suspended students are Jasim Khan, a postgraduate student in International Studies at the university’s India-Arab Cultural Centre; and Rehaan Haider, an MA Social Work student.In its order, the administration has accused Basil of participating in an “unauthorised sit-in” at Ghalib Lawn on the campus, obstructing university staff and disrupting the installation of CCTV cameras on October 15. It has alleged that members of the gathering pulled a CCTV camera wire, rendering the system non-functional. It also referred to an earlier protest on September 11, and alleged that Basil and other students had then confronted members of the proctorial team and circulated videos with “misleading accounts” of the incident.Five students, including the three against whom punitive action has been taken, began a hunger strike on October 12 to demand the restoration of the university’s student union.Jamia has not held student union elections since 2006.In a joint statement on Saturday, after the orders were issued, student organisations in the varsity alleged that “more than 100” security guards entered the protest site in the morning and “manhandled” the students on hunger strike.The action against the three students comes a day after Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi held a meeting lasting over six hours with elected office-bearers of subject associations from the university’s departments and centres. In a statement October 16, the university claimed the meeting provided students with a forum to raise grievances and suggest measures to address their concerns.A university official told The Indian Express, “We don’t have an in principle objection to restoring the students’ union. If a formal request is made… upon consideration, a committee would need to examine the matter and assess safeguards against incidents of violence before any decision could be taken.”Story continues below this adThe official said the administration viewed subject associations as an established channel for student representation across Jamia’s 44 departments and 30 centres, allowing elected office-bearers to raise department-specific concerns with their faculty and administration.The students’ union was dissolved in 2006 during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hasan. The official cited incidents of alleged violence and clashes involving students and teachers as among the concerns that had shaped the administration’s position on restoring a university-wide union. The official also referred to proceedings before the Delhi High Court in 2022, saying the matter had not resulted in a direction to the university to restore the union.Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read MoreSyed Ilham Jafri is a Trainee Sub Editor at The Indian Express, working on the Digital Desk covering breaking news, politics, global developments, and current affairs. He is involved in copy editing, live news blogs, SEO optimisation and digital publishing. He also writes for Express's Fresh Take and Books and Literature section. Academic Background Ilham has completed his Master's in International Journalism from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, and holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature with History from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Areas of Interest Ilham's interests lie in media, politics, culture, world affairs, public discourse, communications, and digital, algorithmic and AI-driven public spheres. Alongside newsroom work, he has previously worked on communications and research-based roles with organisations including HIMAL Southasian, and the Software Freedom Law Center. He has also led and contributed to several student editorial initiatives and publications. His work engages with questions of media narratives, identity, and contemporary social and political culture. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Jamia Milia Islamia