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‘Regressive set of rules’: JNUSU ‘tears’ notice put up at Narmada Hostel restricting visitors’ access

The notice, titled “Norms Governing Hostel Life”, laid down a series of conditions regulating residency, visitor access and guest stays, it is learnt.

3 min readNew DelhiDec 24, 2025 05:23 AM IST

JNUSU, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, Narmada Hostel, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairs

In 2019, the student union had protested against curfews and dress restrictions floated by the administration. The hostel policy introduced back then included fee hike and curfew restrictions.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Tuesday allegedly tore down what it described as a “regressive set of rules”, pasted on the walls of the university’s Narmada Hostel, objecting to restrictions governing visitor access and gender-based segregation in hostel spaces, The Indian Express has learnt. The hostel administration, however, denied that any such notice existed.

The notice, titled “Norms Governing Hostel Life”, laid down a series of conditions regulating residency, visitor access and guest stays, it is learnt. Among the provisions highlighted by students were clauses stating: “No Non-resident visitor shall be permitted to stay in the rooms of the residents after 10.30 p.m.” and “Only men can stay as guests in a men’s hostel and only women can stay as guests in women’s hostel.”

Another clause stated: “Male visitors including male students or guests shall not be allowed in girls/women hostels”, except where permitted by the mess warden in dining halls. The notice also warned of disciplinary action, including eviction, for violations, stating: “If found guilty for the 3rd time he/she will be evicted from the hostel.”

Objecting to the notice, the JNUSU said that such provisions amounted to moral policing and control over students’ personal lives. “JNUSU tore off the regressive set of rules pasted on the walls of Narmada Hostel. This kind of separation and control will not be tolerated in JNU,” the union said in a statement.

The students’ union also alleged intimidation of students who opposed the rules. “JNUSU also wrote to the wardens of Narmada regarding the fact that some students have been threatened for raising voices against these rules,” it said.

Speaking to The Indian Express, JNUSU president Aditi Mishra said the notice was not an isolated development, but part of a longer pattern.

“A hostel manual was introduced several years ago by the administration, which had several restrictions, and was patriarchal. They knew that students would not agree to such rules. Time and again, a few hostels try to impose these rules as most of them now have right wing members who are acting as wardens. That’s what happened in Narmada Hostel,” Mishra said.

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She added that the notice had been put up only recently. “The notice was put up two-three days ago and today, the JNUSU went ahead and tore it,” Mishra said.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Narmada Hostel warden Rahul Raj said there was “no such notice.”

The university administration also said it did not receive any formal complaint. Manuradha Chaudhary, Dean of Students’ Welfare, told The Indian Express that she had “received no complaints from any students or the hostel”.

In 2019, the student union had protested against curfews and dress restrictions floated by the administration. The hostel policy introduced back then included fee hike and curfew restrictions.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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