‘Worms in idli, insects in chhole’: Hostel students protest at Jamia

On Wednesday, insects allegedly found in the chole during lunch was a fresh trigger. (image unhanced by AI/Gemini)

“Ye kaanch ke tukde sabzi me nikal rhe hain… ye kayi baar hua hai mere saath… kisi aur ko bhi ye mila hai? (Pieces of glass have been found in vegetable curry. This has happened multiple times. Has anyone else found this too?).”
A student of Jamia Millia Islamia’s Jammu and Kashmir Girls’ Hostel shared this message with her hostel mates last November after allegedly finding a glass shard in her curry. As it turned out, this was not the last time the hostel students raised concerns over food quality.

On Wednesday, insects allegedly found in the chole during lunch was a fresh trigger. The students began a protest on Thursday, demanding action against the mess contractor. Even as the demonstration was paused the next day following a written assurance from the varsity, students resumed the stir within hours, claiming the issues persisted. On Saturday night, students finally said they have called off the protest following a key meeting and fresh assurances.

‘Long-standing isssue’

According to the students’ claims, worms in idli and rice, insects in dal and chhole, undercooked rice, raw chicken, and even glass shards in sabzi have been a recurring issue at the hostel for years. For nearly 700 students dependent on the J&K Girls’ Hostel mess at JMI, such incidents have allegedly become common since the Covid-19 pandemic. Students said several of them had fallen sick after eating the food.

Tasleem Fathima, a fifth-year law student and member of the hostel mess committee, said, “Before Covid too, the quality was very bad. Roti is sometimes very hard, rice is uncooked.”

After Wednesday’s incident, in a formal representation, the students’ demands to the varsity included immediate termination of the mess contractor, a written assurance that protesters would not face disciplinary action, and deployment of women staff in the hostel mess. They also sought the resignation of the Provost, Warden, and Caretaker.

In response, the administration, agreed to the first set of demands early Friday. At the bottom of the formal representation submitted by J&K Girls’ Hostel residents, an administrative official signed a response at 2:49 am Friday: “We are removing the mess contractor with immediate effect. Demand no. 1, 2 & 3 (pertaining to immunity for protesters, deployment of all women staff, termination of current contractor) have been agreed to,” the note read, The Indian Express learnt.

Following the written assurance, students temporarily paused their protest. However, alleging that same food arrangement continued, they resumed the protest around 9 pm Friday. They claimed that around 1 am on Saturday, amid the protest, the electricity supply was shut down. They also alleged that a n official manhandled the protesters.

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“Inspite of such intimidation, students continued the demonstrations asking for the fulfillment of demands,” a statement by the All India Students’ Association read Saturday.

However, on Saturday night, following a key meeting with administration, Fathima said, “The protest has been called off after Proctor assured that all our demands have been met.”

In a formal communication, university officials said that regular monitoring of food quality by the Students’ Mess Committee, Provost and Wardens would be done, female staff would serve food and that a Committee will be formed to look into hygeine specific concerns in the hostels.

Chief PRO Prof Saima Saeed told The Indian Express, “All the demands have been met. The contractor was changed. As this is a government university, due procedure for onboarding would require floating a tender. An interim arrangement has been made. A notice has been issued to the girls formally… Getting food for 700 people is not easy. Our food is the cheapest in Delhi, under Rs 3,000 per month, per person.”

Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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