The secretary of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) at Jamia Millia Islamia was hospitalised after developing dizziness and low blood sugar levels on the ninth day of a hunger strike over student representation and disciplinary action, according to information shared by the organisation.
NSUI said Ebin Basil was admitted for medical attention on Tuesday after his health deteriorated during the protest. The organisation said his condition had improved, but that he remained committed to continuing the hunger strike until the students’ demands were addressed.
The protest centres on three demands: restoration of the student union, withdrawal of disciplinary action taken against protesting students, and the resignation of the university’s chief proctor. The demands place the dispute at the intersection of student representation, campus discipline and administrative accountability at the Delhi university.
NSUI said Basil’s hunger strike was intended to press the university to act on these issues. The organisation appealed to the administration to consider the students’ demands seriously and begin an immediate dialogue to resolve the dispute.
The reported hospitalisation adds a health and safety dimension to a protest that has continued for more than a week. The available report does not provide details of the medical facility where Basil was admitted, the nature of the disciplinary action against students, or the university’s position on each of the three demands.
Jamia Millia Islamia has formed a seven-member committee to engage with students and consider ways to resolve the issue, according to the report. The committee’s creation indicates that the administration has established a formal mechanism for dialogue, although no outcome from its discussions has been reported.
The dispute now involves both the immediate medical condition of a protesting student and unresolved questions about how student concerns are represented and addressed within the university. NSUI said it believed issues concerning students’ rights and accountability should be settled through dialogue.
The next reported step is the committee’s engagement with students and its consideration of a possible resolution. No timeline for the committee’s discussions or decision has been provided.
