JNU’s UGC equity row: What really exploded on campus at midnight?

A protest march at Jawaharlal Nehru University turned violent in the early hours of Monday, leaving several students injured and the campus tense.

According to PTI, the incident unfolded around 1.30 am when a scuffle broke out between rival student groups and allegedly escalated into stone pelting. By the morning, confusion and competing claims had replaced clarity, with both Left- and Right-aligned organisations blaming each other for the violence.

The march and the trigger

On Friday, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) criticised Vice Chancellor Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit over remarks she allegedly made during a podcast discussing UGC regulations and calling them overtly casteist. According to a TNN report, the VC made a remark that Dalits and Blacks “cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card.” However, Pandit dismissed the charge and denied making any such objectionable comments. Five students were also rusticated in earlier semesters for allegedly involving in vandalism during a protest last year.




The protest had been called by the JNUSU, which announced a “Samta Juloos” towards the East Gate of the campus.

The student body was demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor and the revocation of a rustication order, reports PTI.

In a post on X on Monday, the JNUSU described the episode as a “violent attack” and announced a press conference at 11 AM. The union said its demand for the Vice-Chancellor’s resignation stemmed from what it termed “derogatory remarks on Dalits and about UGC Equity regulations.”

Protesters also alleged that the administration did not engage with the march and instead allowed members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to confront them.

Sharp counter from ABVP

The ABVP strongly rejected these allegations. PTI reported that the organisation accused Left-backed groups of provoking the clash and spreading misinformation. In its own statement on X, ABVP termed the episode “brutal” and said that “students have been severely injured after a shocking attack by Left-affiliated groups, their only fault was studying peacefully in the library.” The contrasting claims have made it difficult to establish a clear sequence of events.

Videos show panic, but questions remain

According to PTI, purported videos shared by students showed chaotic scenes near the protest site, with groups shouting and running amid what appeared to be stone pelting.

Left-backed groups, including the All India Students' Association (AISA), claimed that ABVP activists attacked “unarmed students” and pelted stones at the JNUSU encampment. ABVP, however, maintained that its members were the ones targeted.

University authorities did not immediately respond to queries, PTI said. Students told the agency that the campus atmosphere remained tense through Monday morning.Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!