Parliament Question: Ban on demonstrations in Central universities

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2909 ANSWERED ON- 18.03.2026 BAN ON DEMONSTRATIONS IN CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES 2909 # Shri Ramji Lal Suman: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the details of the bans imposed on demonstrations and processions in the country's Central universities, including Delhi University (DU), over the last three years; (b) whether it is a fact that such bans are being deliberately imposed to suppress student organizations' calls for demonstrations and processions for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes; and (c) the context of the ban imposed in DU in February, 2026 on the orders of the Proctor and whether this is not a violation of democratic values and rights? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (c) The Government is committed to ensuring the welfare of the students across all the Central Universities including students from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) categories. Accordingly, several initiatives and institutional mechanisms have been put in place to promote equity, inclusion and equal access to quality education for the students. The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (amended in 2012) provides 15% for Scheduled Castes (SC), 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 27% for Other Backward Classes (OBC), enacted to promote equity. Central Universities under the purview of Ministry of Education including University of Delhi are statutory autonomous organizations established under respective Central Acts of Parliament and are competent to take decisions in academic and administrative matters, including those relating to campus discipline and student activities in line with their respective Act(s), Statutes and Ordinances. The University of Delhi is a premier university of the country known for highest academic standards providing quality and affordable education to the students from all over the country. The NIRF ranking of the university is 5th amongst the educational institutions within the country: the University has achieved QS ranking of 328 (globally) in 2025/26. The University iscommitted to protect freedom of expression, uphold democratic values and right of its students for peaceful and cordial atmosphere for academic pursuits while giving ample opportunity to its students for speech & expression and dissent. University of Delhi has informed that it has not imposed any ban on the demonstrations and processions in past 3 years; however, in order to ensure social harmony and to preserve the academic ecosystem within the campus, an order dated 17.02.2026 was issued for a month in pursuance to Delhi Police Orders dated 26.12.2025. ****