Amidst the roar of Motilal Nehru College’s student elections, the college witnessed a protest led by the students against unfair candidate nominations.
On 10th September 2025, the gates of Motilal Nehru College were closed for the teachers and the faculty by a student-led protest due to unfair intervention in student elections. The displeasure was stirred up as the students had been working on their election campaigns for the past two months, but the final list, released that day, contained only 7 names for 6 posts. This number was selected from an application of 107 students. The President candidature was permitted to a single student from the swarm of 14 nominees. This, the student protesters said, was an unjust treatment of the hopes and efforts of the students. The protest, which began at 6 in the evening, was carried out till late in the dark with the demonstrators refusing food or water. Instead of hearing the concerns of the protestors, the principal called forth police authorities, which led to a female candidate getting pushed by a male officer.
The authorities claimed attendance to be the criteria for selection. According to the official Delhi University regulations, the candidates require 50% attendance to clear their nominations, but MNLC changed it to 75% weeks prior to the elections. This became the main reason for the discourse in the student body. The students also displayed their discontent upon the appointment of a first year for the post of Vice President.
A student from the college told DU Beat,
The candidate for the position of Vice President is running unopposed even though he has been in the college for just a month, without the knowledge of any rules, or even stepping a foot in the campus all thanks to knowing people at high positions and having connections.
The protest began immediately after the release of the official list, with the students locking the gates of the college to prevent anyone from leaving the campus. The students raised their voices outside the principal’s office and the admin block also, but to no avail. The principal’s office was blocked by the protestors, and while they stood on their stance outside in the heat, the faculty refused to take any actions. The candidates went inside the office to clarify the situation with the principal but returned disheartened. The police arrived at 10 at night to break up the mob and to escort the Principal safely outside. The candidates decided to protest in front of the police vehicles but were controlled by force. It was unanimously decided to continue the protest overnight. College premises were occupied by police authorities, SSB and police vans in the morning after the gates were bolted by the protestors again. The principal arrived at around 11, finally allowing entrance into the college and had another meeting with candidates but no changes were agreed upon. This has led to all the student groups—ABVP, B.O.S.S, Ignite and other Independent candidates—coming and standing together.
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Featured Image Credits: MNLC on Instagram
Ananya Agarwal