In a historic and unprecedented move on Monday, 2 February 2026, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration rusticated the entire four-member elected panel of the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU).
The office-bearers, including President Aditi Mishra and Vice President Gopika K. Babu, along with former president Nitish Kumar, have been declared “out of bounds” for two semesters.
This disciplinary action follows a proctorial inquiry into the November 2025 protests against Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) systems at the central library, which allegedly resulted in property damage worth ₹20 lakh.
Consequently, India’s second-ranked university will remain without any elected student representation for the next eight months, as the administration ruled out interim elections.
In response to the rustication, the students observed a full day strike protesting against the decision.
JNUSU Panel Rusticated
The rustication of the JNUSU panel marks the first time in the university’s storied history that an entire elected leadership has been removed simultaneously. This decision effectively dismantles the student government just three months after its election, leaving a significant administrative vacuum.
Students have responded with a university-wide strike and a boycott of classes, arguing that the move is an attempt to stifle campus democracy.
Without a union, students lack a formal platform to negotiate with the administration on crucial issues like hostel facilities, library access, and academic policies, creating a period of deep uncertainty for the thousands of scholars who call JNU home.
Surveillance Standpoint
The friction began in late 2025 when the university introduced facial recognition-based entry gates at the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Central Library. While the administration framed this as a security upgrade, students viewed it as an invasive tool for mass surveillance that restricted free movement in an academic space.
During the November 21 protests, the gates were dismantled, leading the university to claim “premeditated vandalism.” Students countered that their actions were a symbolic defense of privacy rights.
The administration further alleged that two female security guards were injured during the melee, justifying the severity of the Category III disciplinary charges brought against the union leaders.
Heavy Fines & Academic Bars
Beyond the two-semester rustication, the five lead activists have been slapped with a fine of ₹20,000 each and ordered to vacate their hostel rooms immediately. Eight other students involved in the demonstrations faced fines of ₹19,000. These penalties must be settled by 13 February 2026 to avoid further academic repercussions.
A senior university official defended the strictness, stating, “The action has been taken strictly in accordance with the university’s disciplinary rules to maintain campus order.”
The rusticated leaders, now barred from entering the campus, have termed the fines and eviction orders as “excessive” and “financially crippling,” aimed at punishing dissent rather than seeking a constructive solution.
Uncertainty Over Future Polls
The absence of a “caretaker union” creates a procedural crisis for future elections. Historically, JNU elections are student-run, with the outgoing union initiating the process to form an independent election committee.
Former JNUSU president Nitish Kumar highlighted that without this caretaker body, the administration might attempt to intervene in the election process, similar to the model used at Delhi University. Student groups fear this could lead to a permanent loss of the university’s unique, independent electoral autonomy.
While the administration claims it is seeking legal opinion on the matter, it has maintained that the next JNUSU elections will only occur according to the standard schedule late in the year.
Political Support
The crackdown has resonated far beyond the gates of the New Delhi campus. Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha joined student groups at a recent press conference, describing the university as a “space for dialogue, not a fortress of surveillance.”
Support has poured in from various political organisations and teacher associations, who view the rustication as part of a larger strategy to suppress student mobilisation against national policies like the UGC equity regulations.
The rusticated leaders maintain that they are being targeted for their vocal opposition to the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, asserting that their removal is a “deliberate and political” silencing of the student community.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that the essence of a world-class university is its commitment to open discourse and the democratic participation of its students.
While the destruction of public property is never a solution, the decision to leave an entire student body unrepresented for nearly a year feels like an extreme measure that undermines institutional harmony.
In any healthy democracy, technology and security should be balanced with the privacy and consent of those it affects.
We encourage both the JNU administration and the student community to step back from the path of punitive escalation and move toward a dialogue rooted in empathy and mutual respect. Protecting a campus should mean protecting its democratic spirit as much as its physical infrastructure.
