As Indian citizens, students have the same constitutional right to free speech and expression as anyone else. They exercise this right not just through their voices, but through slogans, banners, visuals, and other forms of protest. In essence, they are simply standing up for what’s theirs—expressing opinions that challenge, critique, and call for change.
But here’s the troubling truth: India today is marred by an ever-growing intolerance towards anything that is seen as a 'threat' to its so-called national fabric. What exactly this fabric is, no one can quite define, but anything critical or uncomfortable is quickly labeled as ‘anti-national.’
Names like Rohit Vemula and Umar Khalid are etched into the history of student rights, as they represent the glaring and unrelenting suppression of liberal thought and dissent. Their experiences serve as stark reminders of the ruthlessness of a system that now silences critical voices with increasing regularity. What was once a country that prided itself on its democratic freedoms seems to be sliding toward an authoritarian grip over discourse. Day by day, this crackdown on free expression is not just alarming, it’s dangerous.
And where is this most painfully felt? In institutions that once fostered mature, political thought. The very campuses known for intellectual debate are now muting the minds they are meant to sharpen. Yet, the students of India aren’t sitting back in silence. They’re angry. They’re vocal. They’re resisting this cultural shift toward conformity—and the consequences of their courage will shape our nation’s future.
The question is, how long can we afford to ignore the voices of those who will inherit the country we are so desperately trying to control?
In recent years, students across India have raised their voices with increasing urgency, speaking out about the erosion of their freedom of speech and the dwindling space for student-led councils and initiatives. What’s unfolding on college campuses is deeply troubling: institutions are cracking down on even the most minor and innocuous actions, labeling them as ‘rebellious’ or even ‘anti-national.’
Take, for example, a parodical play loosely inspired by the Ramayana, or students merely questioning harsh hostel curfews or restricted library access—these are all legitimate forms of student expression and inquiry. Yet, these actions are being rebranded as dissent, as if asking questions or pushing for change is something to be feared rather than encouraged. This misconception of students and their needs only fuels a growing divide between them and the administration. It’s not that students want chaos—they simply want their voices heard.
What colleges fail to realize is that this suppression is breeding the very thing they fear: unrest. By clamping down on basic rights, institutions are stifling the only available outlet for students to air their concerns. When universities like JNU ban student protests or initiatives, they aren’t restoring order—they’re igniting frustration. And that frustration, over time, only turns into rage.
The student community is not rebelling without reason; they are pushing back against a system that has stopped listening. And as their avenues for dialogue are increasingly shut down, the tension only deepens. It’s a dangerous path to tread, and one that doesn’t just affect the campuses in question—it touches the very core of what it means to be young, curious, and free in today’s India.
On June 21st, 2024, the streets of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Patna, and more cities saw students stepping into a second wave of protests, outraged by the chaos surrounding the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams. With exams canceled just a day before they were scheduled, students found themselves in shock and fury, demanding compensation. The situation worsened with reports of leaked papers and grace marks being unfairly cut for 1,500 students—decisions that directly impacted their scores and jeopardized their future prospects.
But this wasn’t an isolated incident. Just a few years earlier, in 2019, the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) had sparked another wave of student-led protests, with campuses like Jamia Millia Islamia University and Delhi University at the forefront. The CAA, which controversially offered citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan and neighboring countries, became a flashpoint for student activism. The outrage was palpable, with students challenging a policy that they believed went against the very fabric of secularism.
Yet, even though these protests were peaceful, the response was anything but. In a stunning display of overreach, police detained 50-60 students, and reports emerged of officers allegedly manhandling those who refused to move. The mistreatment of peaceful demonstrators laid bare the stark reality: this wasn’t just law enforcement keeping order—it was a deliberate, forceful attempt to silence dissent.
The image couldn’t be clearer. The narrative was set in stone: any movement, no matter how peaceful, that challenges the status quo will be labeled as dissent and treated as such. The students who dared to raise their voices in these movements didn’t just fight for exams or policies—they fought against a system determined to suppress them. And as these protests continue, they serve as a reminder that the right to peaceful expression is being eroded, one crackdown at a time.
Students from India have protested repeatedly since the country's independence, calling for justice and accountability from the government and the universities they attend. It is deeply disheartening to observe that the assault on democracy in the twenty-first century has gotten worse and appears set to get worse still. Regardless of how progressive the government may seem on the outside, there is always an axe lurking behind them, ready to cut down any dissenting word. The youth of India is our best chance to bring about reform in the nation; however, the future of colleges and a secular, objective education is in jeopardy due to the nation's intolerance and the persistent use of "anti-nationalist" rhetoric. Indian Student Protests Indian Student Protests Indian Student Protests Indian Student Protests Indian Student Protests
