Police officers stationed at MNLU CS campus in response to student protests over night-time hostel inspections
Maharashtra National Law University Students Protest Over Governance Issues
The Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has been the scene of student protests since August 4, 2025. The unrest began due to a late-night hostel check by the administration, which students deemed a violation of their privacy. However, the protests soon expanded to encompass broader grievances about university governance, lack of student participation, and poor hostel and mess conditions.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bindu S Ronald stated that the protests were primarily triggered by disciplinary concerns against a few students, and faculty members have the right to enter the hostel. Prof Ronald expressed concern about the students' lack of communication regarding their whereabouts, potentially putting their safety at risk.
The students' demands are extensive and varied. They include the establishment of student participation mechanisms, addressing poor hostel hygiene and living conditions, removing faculty members from administrative posts, reforming arbitrary decision-making, improving academic instruction quality, and revoking policies perceived as intrusive.
Key demands also include improving support for extracurricular activities like moots and internships, addressing the lack of medical facilities on campus, and addressing concerns about invasive supervision. The students have laid down 21 demands in a formal complaint.
The protests escalated into a two-day strike, but were called off on the night of August 6 following some oral assurances from the administration. These assurances included extending library hours till midnight, relieving an assistant professor from multiple administrative roles, and modifying the uniform policy so that uniforms are only mandatory on Wednesdays and official events, instead of daily for first years.
However, Prof Ronald emphasized that not all demands were conceded, as university policies are made in the institution's and students' larger interest. The administration's partial concessions addressed some facility and policy concerns, but did not meet all student demands, reflecting ongoing tensions between students and university authorities.
Prof Ronald also stated that the students concerned had previously faced disciplinary action, which led to their suspension from the hostel, but were later allowed to rejoin upon their parents' request. The administration has reportedly contacted the parents of the students and threatened suspension following the protests.
The students are particularly concerned about the lack of student participation, representation, or oversight on campus. They are questioning why first-year students are being brought to the protests when there is a disciplinary matter that could affect them. The current situation underscores the need for improved communication and collaboration between students and university authorities.
Police officers have been stationed at MNLU since last night, as negotiations between the students and the administration continue. The situation remains tense, but the students' demands for greater student participation and improved facilities and governance are gaining widespread attention and support.
[1] MNLU Students Protest: Administration's Partial Concessions, But Ongoing Tensions (The Law Times, August 8, 2025)
[2] MNLU Students Protest: Administration Threatens Suspension, But Extends Library Hours (The Student Voice, August 7, 2025)
- The ongoing protests at Maharashtra National Law University aren't just about a late-night hostel check, but also involve demands for education-and-self-development improvements, such as ensuring student participation in decision-making processes and improving support for extracurricular activities.
- As part of the ongoing MNLU protests, students are raising concerns about the political aspect of university governance, with demands for the removal of faculty members from administrative posts and reforming arbitrary decision-making, topics that have gained general-news attention.
