Representation of personal details of the students: the erosion of privacy and academic freedom at Jamia

Universities are spaces in which it is expected to bloom, grow, learn and learn. It is said that it is a room in which everything from the “universe” brought, discussed, agreed, did not agree and contradicted them. However, what if the room believed to promote young heads with freedom, does the trust of its students break out? A very similar incident took place in Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), where the personal details of 17 suspended students were involved, since they were involved in protests that pronounced the revocation of an office in 2022 to prohibit meetings and protests on the campus goods. displayed on the main gate of the university. These details included their name, picture, course, contact information, student -id number and even their political affiliations. Several left -wing organizations, including AISA, SFI, Disha etc., stated that the left was systematically targeted.

The incident raises important concerns about academic freedom and the attitude of the right on dissent at public universities. The display of personal details of the students in the main gate, in which young women are involved, is a serious attack on the privacy of the students. Many of them are only out of their teenagers in the real world. It is also assumed that the procedure against the right to protest is part of a larger network of democratic spaces of public universities in India.

What exactly happened?

On December 15, 2024, which is known “Jamia resistance,The ordinary students of the university decided to protest against Jamia’s students in 2019 against the anniversary of the brutal attack by the Delhi police, while protesting the law on the change in citizenship. In response to this, the Jamia administration published a message that the university is closed due to maintenance work. However, the students managed to protest the next day. Four student activists received shownotices, and two of them were asked to appear before the disciplinary committee.

Source: Maktoob Media

On February 10, the students sat on an indefinite strike and asked for the revocation of the suspension and the memorandum 2022. The sit-in took three days, while the administration used various tactics, such as closing the washrooms and the canteen and switching off the current .

After three days, 17 students received lock at midnight. The letter says:

“On February 10th, it was identified when they lead a unruly and loud group of people to destroy and condemn the property of the university. This letter serves to inform you that, based on your participation in vandalism, not authorized and illegal protests and a defamation of the university, which represent serious violations of the regulations of the university, with immediate effect from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) are shown in vandalism, not authorized and illegal protests with the following rules and regulations Until the result of the procedure of the disciplinary committee. “

In the morning they were detained by the Delhi police campus. Her whereabouts were unknown for hours. The next day, the Jamia Admin publicly published the data of these 17 students.

What does this action say about the violation of privacy?

In a place where students should feel safe, their university broke their trust. The university has endangered many lives by publishing the students’ personal data. “I have received threats about calls since the list was published. Who will be responsible for my security if something happens? ‘said Samira* young student who was suspended.

“It is a very shameful act of Jamia Admin. After a violation of the privacy, the Jamia administrator has the courage to publish an explanation in which some antisocial elements have displayed the details. Jamia Campus has so much security and guards at the main gate. How can someone do that? Sakhi said, one of the suspended students. The university later received anger from various people to make the data of the students public, and as a result, Jamia’s administrator denied the claims. However, the heading of the list states: “Proctor Office Jamia”.

“In addition, such personal details of the students are only in the office. How can someone else have our ID card number? ‘Sakhi added.

Saffranization of Jamia?

This is not the first time that the activities of academic freedom and the contradiction to the activities of academic freedom and dissent have undergone. After 2019, Jamia was monitored to the government and the police. This was further reinforced by the 2022 memorandum against Dissens on campus. It is not about a protest, cultural evenings and even academic lectures that may not fit the right wing, which is often clamped or canceled.

Source: Maktoob Media

‘From the first year I received a show. My admission card was not given to me, only for the organization of reading circles. The problem is that if you want to carry out an event on campus, ABVP will receive permission immediately and we receive features of shows. Why are the rules not the same for everyone? ‘said Sakhi.

According to reports, the Dean of the Social Sciences also had Saraswati Puja organized in his own office, which was organized by the office. In addition, ABVP recently held his national conference in the Nehru guest house. ‘Our college is militarized; It no longer feels like a university, «said Muneeb* a student in Jamia.

Sakhi also told us that Mazhar Asif, the current VC of Jamia, is a Kern -rss person. He is a former professor at JNU and many people there talk about his right -wing ideology. In addition, the type of dates are also questioned. The controller recently appointed has written all the messages with a saffron pencil. “That may seem a little thing, but it shows a lot,” added Sakhi.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

Jatin Chahhar (he/she) is a student of philosophy at the Ramjas College of the University of Delhi. His letter is based on critical reflection on various sociopolitical topics, especially about gender and politics. Art is resistance for him. He loves art that serves the masses and the realities of the power structure of contemporary societies that excludes marginalized parts of society. It also stands for photography and filmmaking. His main areas of the research interest are caste, class and their intersection with sexual fantasies.