Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters on Tuesday that the government would not tolerate a law‑and‑order problem at Jamia Millia Islamia, even as students march on campus for a second decade.
The protests mark the 16th day of a campaign that began on 30 September, demanding the restoration of a student union that has been barred since 2006.
The university has sealed its main gates with iron sheets, shut alternative entrances and imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita on the surrounding area, effectively banning unlawful gatherings.
Students accuse security staff of handing them over to police, and say the closure of the library and shift to online classes has disproportionately affected female scholars.
Joshi said negotiations are underway and that an election will be held within 15 days of approving the union's constitution; the registrar will review the situation and may extend online instruction beyond Diwali if the unrest does not subside.