Delhi: In the wake of post-COVID educational reforms, students of Jamia Millia Islamia have launched significant protests against the National Testing Agency (NTA) and recent educational changes, including the Central Universities Entrance Test (CUET) and the Four-Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP). These changes, linked to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, have ignited widespread dissatisfaction among students who see them as efforts to centralise and corporate education.
The protesters argue that the introduction of CUET, which has replaced Jamia’s autonomous entrance exam model, undermines the university’s autonomy, especially as a minority institution. Initially applied to eight courses, CUET has now expanded to fifteen courses, fostering a coaching culture and disadvantaged students from state syllabus backgrounds and madrasas.
The FYUP has also been criticised for its lack of a properly defined syllabus and curriculum, causing confusion and difficulties for students. Critics claim that FYUP normalises dropouts by making education more expensive and alienating students further within the education system.
Students have voiced concerns over stagnant UGC non-NET fellowships, which have remained at Rs. 8,000 per month despite rising inflation. They argue that this insufficient funding compromises research quality.
The protest involves participation from several student political organisations, including the Muslim Students Federation (msf), All India Revolutionary Students Organization (AIRSO), All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and Fraternity Movement. Together, these groups have united to amplify the demands and concerns of the student body.
Protesters highlight numerous issues with the NTA, established in 2017, including continuous exam scams, paper leaks, and allegations of favouritism toward the ruling party’s ideology. They argue that NTA’s administration, filled with RSS-BJP loyalists, aims to saffronize and privatise education.
Examples of NTA’s failings include server failures during JEE Mains 2019, delays in question papers, and multiple postponements of the NEET (UG) Medical Entrance Exam in 2020 due to irregularities. In 2021, wrong questions in the JEE Mains exam led to further uproar.
The msf has called for the establishment of more state-level centers to conduct Jamia’s entrance exams, ensuring broader access for students from various regions. They demand that Jamia conducts entrance exams for all its courses at these state-level centers to maintain equitable access to education.
The student protestors have united to raise five key demands:
- Sever all ties of Jamia with the NTA and restore Jamia’s own entrance examinations.
- Scrap the FYUP.
- End discrimination against madrasa students in admissions through CUET.
- Increase the UGC non-NET fellowship.
- Oppose fee hikes, self-financing, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and other corporate education models in Jamia.
The unrest reflects a broader national sentiment among students against perceived corrupt and centralized education policies. The call to action is clear: preserve the democratic values of education and protect the autonomy of institutions like Jamia Millia Islamia.
