Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Saturday shifted all classes online with immediate effect and ordered the closure of campus gates and libraries following a confrontation between protesting students and university staff amid the ongoing agitation demanding restoration of students’ union election.The decision came after more than 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff members, along with Vice-Chancellor Prof Mazhar Asif and Registrar Prof Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, held a meeting on the Ansari Auditorium lawns and subsequently marched to the protest site to persuade students to end their agitation.According to the university administration, efforts by teachers and staff to convince the protesters to vacate the site failed, with students allegedly raising slogans asking faculty members to leave. The administration also alleged that some protesters pushed security personnel, teachers and staff during the confrontation.Following the developments, the university announced that classes for all courses would be conducted online until further orders. Students have been advised to follow their online schedules and avoid visiting the campus, as university gates and libraries will remain closed.Earlier in the day, the teaching and non-teaching staff unanimously adopted two resolutions condemning the defacement of campus walls with allegedly objectionable slogans and calling upon the protesting students to end their agitation.The employees also resolved to repaint the defaced walls and remove slogans which, according to the university, are detrimental to the country’s integrity, security and sovereignty.The staff expressed concern that the continuing agitation and incidents of vandalism could damage the reputation of the 106-year-old institution. They also objected to the occupation of the Ghalib statue lawns by protesters, maintaining that Gate No. 18 is the designated site for demonstrations.The developments came a day after a seven-member high-level committee, constituted on October 18 to hold talks with the protesting students, appealed to them to withdraw their agitation. The committee had held four rounds of discussions in an attempt to resolve the standoff.The university maintained that it had already initiated steps to address the students’ demands, including notifying a committee on October 21 to draft a constitution for the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), whose election has remained suspended since 2006.The administration also referred to its October 21 notification stating that “all disciplinary action taken or initiated against students sitting on protests with causes originating from 12.10.25 till 5.30 pm of 21.10.25 will be reviewed”.However, the university said these measures had failed to persuade the hunger-striking students to withdraw their protest or reach an agreement with the administration.The Vice-Chancellor and Registrar also expressed concern that the alleged defacement of university property and objectionable slogans could adversely affect the institution’s reputation and potentially impact students’ future employment, placements and higher education opportunities.The staff further raised objections to the participation of political leaders and representatives of various organisations in the ongoing agitation, expressing apprehension that their involvement could further escalate tensions on campus.After the meeting, faculty members and employees marched from the Ansari Auditorium lawns through Gate No. 13 towards Gate No. 7 before reaching the protest site. The university said the staff spent nearly two hours appealing to students to end the agitation before withdrawing following the confrontation.With the standoff continuing, the administration said the decision to move classes online was necessary to ensure students’ safety and prevent further disruption of academic activities.