Twenty years is a long time for a university which has long forsaken a student union. Generations can pass sitting in those classrooms which give lectures on democracy, accountability, federalism and whatnot, without ever electing their own representative. At Jamia Millia Islamia, in the national capital of Delhi, which last held its student union election in 2005, the demand for its restoration had recently gained momentum after decades. The absence of a student union in a central university, and above that, a university born out of resistance for freedom from the Britishers, seemed ironic on the pages of history books.A student union is not always about campus politics – it is a platform that raises the fundamental question of who gets to represent students and on what terms.Why student representation is crucialWhen Jamia last held its student union election, the administration dissolved it again in March 2006, citing campus violence and the negative impact of union activities on academics, a justification of unusual reasoning. Student unions had been functioning normally in other central universities in the country, be it Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU), or others.Jamia formed departmental subject associations to bridge the gap between students and the administration, but regardless of how genuine that effort may have seemed, it could never have provided optimum representation for students that a university-wide student union could.By giving representation to students, a union helps address their day-to-day complaints, from sanitation issues to hostel problems, drinking water, accessibility in classrooms, washroom hygiene conditions, library facilities, etc., which Jamia Millia Islamia currently needs. There are student complaints regarding basic amenities, and because presently there is a communication gap between students and the administration, and no central representative body, the perils of students were genuine.Furthermore, a student union allows its candidates to engage in democratic principles and procedures and acquire democratic ethos such as accountability – a healthy process for any democratic country but especially for India, whose democracy is fighting its own battle for restoration of legitimacy. Nevertheless, campus politics feeds into the national politics and would certainly give mature young leadership to the country in the foreseeable future.Such are the aspirations of today’s Gen Zs, who see in themselves leaders who will guide this country to new zeniths. For those aspirations to turn into realisation, adults need to give incentives to these young minds – and a student union is a stepping stone in that direction.Escalation of dissent Surprisingly, when the students of Jamia Millia Islamia demanded electoral representation in the campus, the administration’s initial response was widely perceived by the protesting students as a crackdown. Although the response did little to contain the protest, it instead seemed to widen the movement’s reach, drawing support from a wider section of the university’s student community.The administration did release notices twice, indicating promises of drafting a constitution for the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), and on day 15th of the hunger strike on October 26, promising elections within 15 days, though a schedule was yet to be drafted for them. Disagreements persisted over other points of conflict in that notice, including the demand that protesting students publicly apologise in front of the media for their alleged wrongdoings – failing the initial rounds of negotiations between the students and the administration.As the standoff continued further between the students and the administration, the university campus once again came under tightened restrictions, with reports of water and electricity supplies being cut and canteens being shut. However genuine the justification for such measures may have been, they still raised humanitarian concerns about the conditions the students on hunger strike, and those supporting them, had to face. The atmosphere resulting from the dissent evoked the image of a university under siege, standing under the shadow of massive force deployment, with its ordinary campus vibes somehow lost amid the uncertainty of normalcy, and its students standing as mere strangers, looking dejectedly at its gate, fortified with iron-clad security.Whatever rationale the administration may have had for such measures, the overall impact of such stringent actions on the cultural and academic environment of JMI, and the scars they may leave remain a matter of concern, irrespective of the protest itself or the resulting resolution in the end.The presence of security personnel from the ITBP, CISF, RAF and Delhi Police added another dimension to the standoff. The barricading and subsequent restrictions on entry to and exit from the university campus during the recent protest further altered the university’s landscape. The reported police detention of students for trying to gain entry to the campus instilled a sense of alienation and abandonment among a section of the university’s bona fide student community. When places and institutions of education become so heavily securitised, it raises questions about the balance between maintaining order and giving students the space to voice their grievances. When it becomes the defining feature of campus life, it deepens the very rift it seeks to resolve.Jamia’s victory and the road aheadJamia’s name carries legacy and prestige, and such a central university has a huge role to play in Indian politics. That starts with the restoration of JMISU. On the 18th day of the hunger strike, the Jamia administration finally conceded to the students’ demands by issuing a notice confirming a time-bound roadmap for the union elections, with the constitution to be drafted by May 15, 2027. Elections are to be conducted approximately within six weeks of July 16, 2027. The notice also revoked disciplinary actions and rustications, offering a major relief to the protesting students.For now, the announcement does offer a way forward, but it remains to be seen whether, going into 2027, this roadmap translates into a genuine commitment to student representation or becomes another exercise in postponement. It also remains to be seen whether this step will be enough to restore the trust between the students and the administration after weeks of confrontation and a tense atmosphere that may have weakened it. Ultimately, the implementation of the administration’s promise will determine its credibility and whether it can honour the trust placed in it by the students. For now, there is an atmosphere of jubilation among students after winning their hard fought struggle and interestingly the occasion could not be any better for such celebrations as its the night of Jamia’s 106th foundation day. The return to normalcy does not seem far off, with students expected to return to classes once the campus reopens after Diwali.Obaidurrahman Mirsab is a Delhi-based writer and Jamia Millia Islamia student.