How students are the first line of resistance
The Hindu - Opinion · Published 10 November 2026 · Last updated
Student protests regarding democratic rights and institutional appointments must be viewed as a continuous movement built upon accumulated historical grievances rather than isolated occurrences.
Key points
- Student protests are frequently dismissed as isolated and temporary incidents that will eventually dissipate.
- The current student movement is built upon the sediments of grievances from the past that were ignored and distorted.
- Students are recognized as the first section of society that identifies threats to democracy and stands up to defend it.
- Students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) went on a hunger strike for 139 days nearly a year after the Narendra Modi-led government came to power in 2014.
- The FTII student hunger strike was organized to oppose the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the institute.
- Gajendra Chauhan faced opposition primarily due to his lack of academic credentials coupled with his proximity to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- Neha Bora, serving as the AISA president, recently refused to sign a peace bond, demonstrating how resistance can evolve into civil disobedience.
Background
- In 2014, the Narendra Modi-led government came to power at the national level.
- In 2015, students at the Film and Television Institute of India initiated a 139-day hunger strike opposing administrative appointments.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: The Hindu - Opinion