Jamia Millia Islamia Students Protest Over Food Quality Issues

Female students at Jamia Millia Islamia have taken to the streets to protest against the poor quality of food served in their hostel mess, claiming to have found insects in their meals. The protests have escalated, with allegations of assault against an assistant proctor. The students are demanding immediate action, including the cancellation of the current mess contractor and the hiring of female staff. University officials have denied the allegations and stated that most demands were addressed early on. This ongoing situation raises concerns about student safety and university accountability.

By Ambika Singh Sep 12, 2026, 14:26 IST

Protests Erupt at Jamia Millia Islamia

Amid protests by female students at the Jammu and Kashmir hostel of Jamia Millia Islamia, the All India Students Association (AISA) accused an assistant proctor of assaulting the students on Saturday. However, the university has categorically denied these allegations. University officials stated that late Friday night, a group of students vandalized two gates of the hostel and clashed with members of the proctorial team.

This demonstration marks the third day of protests at Jamia, initiated by complaints from some students regarding the poor quality of food served in the mess. They claimed to have found insects in their meals. The students are demanding the cancellation of the current contractor for the mess, the hiring of female staff, and action against the hostel authorities. They also seek assurances that no disciplinary measures will be taken against those participating in the protests. AISA has criticized the university for failing to fulfill its commitments regarding the students' demands.

AISA further alleged that Assistant Proctor Masood Ahmed Malik physically confronted the students near the Dean of Student Welfare (DSW) office around 1 AM on Friday. The student organization claimed that a student's mobile phone was confiscated while she was recording the incident. University officials countered that most of the students' demands were addressed on the first day of the protests and accused the demonstrators of escalating the situation. A spokesperson for Jamia Millia Islamia stated, 'The students damaged two gates of the hostel, jeopardizing everyone's safety and misbehaved with the proctorial team.'