Student Body Protests for Women’s Safety at JGU; “This Incident Was the Final Straw”

On Monday, 23rd September 2025, A group of students gathered outside the Registrar’s office at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) to demand stronger safety measures for women on and around their campus. The incident was sparked after a group of female undergraduates reported having been verbally harassed by local men, unaffiliated with the university, at the liquor shop (theka) near campus. 

The men are said to have made lewd comments at the students, leading to a verbal altercation between the two groups. According to PKS*, a student at JGU, this incident was the final straw in a string of long-standing concerns about women’s safety in and around the campus, prompting the JGU Student Council to circulate a detailed charter of demands on university WhatsApp groups.

The seven-point message included demands for increased and slower-paced security patrols around the gates, routine vehicle checks to deter loitering by non-students outside the campus, and a visible increase in Quick Response Team (QRT) vehicles. It also sought relocation of the theka near the university. Students reported repeated instances of harassment, describing it as a hostile environment for women. 

A reliable, hourly shuttle service to Haiderpur Metro Station was also demanded to reduce dependence on taxis, where students have reported past instances of harassment by drivers. The final set of demands highlighted accountability and transparency— urging the administration to release a formal, updated security plan with appropriate measures for disciplinary policy and grievance redressal.

The protest began at 1:30 p.m. on 23rd September, with more than a hundred students flooding the ground and first floor of the building housing the Registrar’s office. Reportedly, within 10 minutes, the Registrar and the Proctor came to talk to the gathering. According to students, they assured protestors that the university plans to update the security policy, with the first draft expected by Thursday, 26th September or Friday, 27th September. While some students welcomed the engagement, others expressed skepticism. Most, however, seemed largely unfazed. “ Such incidents were not unusual on the campus,” said a fourth-year student at JGU.  Following the dialogue and the promise of a forthcoming draft, the protest dissipated.

On Wednesday, 24th September, the Registrar circulated a series of emails outlining the next steps. The first communication detailed enhanced patrolling arrangements. This included the deployment of additional security vehicles equipped with dashcams and GPS trackers, along with the installation of new CCTV cameras outside Gate 2 of the University. In their second communication, the Registrar also conveyed that the administration had requested the Sonipat police to increase their presence outside the campus and remove illegal vendors.

A third email addressed gender sensitisation and the functioning of COGSASH, the university’s internal committee on sexual harassment. It pledged to increase the frequency of training meetings, along with announcing a meeting between the COGSASH leadership and the Student Council scheduled for Wednesday, 25th September. 

Since then, no further updates have been communicated by the administration. The COGSASH meetings with the Student Council took place as scheduled, though details about the proceedings remain difficult to obtain. PKS* told The Edict that student turnout was low in this meeting, due to the timing and delayed announcement of its venue. Among the larger student community, discussions regarding the protest and the administration’s response seem to have virtually disappeared. 

Some members of the Student Council, however, indicated that they plan to push for reforms in the functioning of COGSASH. Their concerns are rooted in previous incidents on campus where they observed what they described as needless delay and a lack of proactive engagement. Whether the recent assurance will translate into tangible changes in campus safety policies, however, remains to be seen.

*Initials have been used at the individual’s request.

(Edited by Fatema Tambawalla and Anamta Husain)