New Delhi, 23 July
Thousands of students gathered at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday to press demands for increased funding for higher education, better employment opportunities, and greater democratic rights on campuses.
The protest was organised by the All-India Joint Student Forum (AIJSF), a newly formed platform. Participants included students and representatives from over 50 universities, such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Allahabad University, Presidency University Kolkata, and institutions in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Organisers claimed the turnout exceeded 15,000, while police estimated the number in the several thousands. The demonstration began around 11 a.m. with students reading out the Preamble to the Constitution. Protesters raised slogans seeking education, employment, and dignity, and performed street plays highlighting concerns over unemployment and campus issues.
Student leaders presented a seven-point charter of demands. Key among them were:
Raising public expenditure on education to 6% of GDP.
Addressing underfunding, infrastructure deficits, and staff shortages in central and state universities.
Introduction of a national employment guarantee scheme for educated youth and filling of vacant government posts.
Protection of democratic rights and freedom of expression on university campuses.
Riya Sharma, a research scholar from JNU and spokesperson for the AIJSF, stated that students were seeking implementation of constitutional provisions regarding education. Another protester, Suresh Meena from Jaipur, highlighted difficulties faced by graduates in securing suitable employment.
The gathering remained peaceful throughout the day. Volunteers assisted with crowd management and provided water to participants. A section of the site was set aside for reading constitutional texts. Delhi Police maintained a presence at the venue, and no major incidents were reported.
In the evening, protesters held a candlelight vigil and announced plans to continue the movement if their demands are not addressed in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
Political Developments
The protest has been supported by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The party has been organising demonstrations at Jantar Mantar since June 20, including demands for accountability in the NEET paper leak case and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest on June 28 and is currently on a hunger strike. He has been admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
On Thursday, the government said it was prepared to hold discussions with the CJP. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that four invitations for dialogue had been sent in the past 24 hours, offering talks at the residence or office of BJP president JP Nadda.
The CJP responded that it would only participate in talks held at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue. The party has called for peaceful protests across the country on July 24.