Following an unfortunate incident on Jamia Millia Islamia campus on August 25, the university has taken action to security guards. This development has been confirmed by an order issued on August 26 in which the university wrote: “The Competent Authority has taken cognizance of an unfortunate incident occurred on 25th August, 2025 (Monday) at around 6:10 p.m. near Gate No. 7, wherein a scuffle broke out between a student of the Faculty of Law and security guards over the issue of the student’s identity card.
“As per visuals of the CCTV cameras installed at the location, a verbal exchange between the student and security guards escalated into a heated argument, resulting in manhandling from both sides. During the incident, the uniform of an ex-serviceman security guard was torn, while the student has alleged physical assault inside the security cabin.
“Taking serious note of this matter, the Competent Authority has approved to discontinue the engagement of …, Ex-Army men Security Guards of …, Delhi deployed at Jamia Millia Islamia campus, with immediate effect.”
The order was issued by security advisor Syed Abdul Rashid.
Though this case is not related with an old when in February a video had surfaced in which a fight between students and security guards. “A fight broke out between security guards and students… On Monday, the students had protested against the administration, but … the security guards started beating the students…,” said a FB video post.
The deployment of ex-Army-men to man the campus at Jamia Millia Islamia has its roots in 1997, when Lt. Gen. M.A. Zaki (Retd) assumed the office of Vice-Chancellor in June that year. At the time, the university was grappling with frequent incidents of student violence, and its academic and administrative functioning was in disarray. Zaki’s arrival marked a decisive turning point. Drawing upon his military background, he ushered in a culture of discipline and order, reorganised academic schedules, ensured timely examinations and admissions, and acted firmly against “undesirable elements” disrupting campus life.
In 2011, another significant chapter unfolded when Najeeb Jung, then Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, expanded this framework by introducing an additional tier of security personnel to further strengthen the safety net for students and maintain peace across the campus and the whole system was privatized from agency.
An alumnus of Jamia, well-versed in the university’s history, said before the recruitment of ex-Army personnel, security on campus was managed by guards popularly nicknamed “Bulls” by the student community. They were part of the proctorial staff, and their presence was so minimal that they were hardly noticeable on campus. Over time, as they began retiring, the entire security apparatus was handed over to private agencies on a contractual basis, he added.
Another alumnus shared that to curb the entry of outsiders into the porous campus, which is closely interlinked with the surrounding neighbourhood, the university began deploying security guards at entrance gates. According to him, outsiders were often responsible for creating disturbances on the campus and picking fights with bona fide students over trivial issues.
It was during this phase that the presence of “Bulls” by the student community, became an enduring and distinctive feature of the campus. Over the years, many of these guards developed a familiar rapport with students, their stern image often softened by moments of camaraderie.
However, two recent incidents, one in February and another on August 25, have strained the once cordial relationship between students and the “Bulls”, casting a shadow over the campus atmosphere, according to a source.
