Tamil Nadu's Vijay government withdraws order that barred students from Left, CJP protests

The Department of Collegiate Education has withdrawn its earlier directive seeking coordinated action to prevent students of government arts and science colleges and youth from participating in protests and agitations.

In an order issued on Tuesday, Joint Director of Collegiate Education Cynthia Selvi P stated that the department's earlier communication, dated August 17, 2026, on the matter had been withdrawn. The order was issued to the principals of all Government Arts and Science Colleges across Tamil Nadu.

The original directive, issued by the Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE), had asked the School Education Department, Higher Education Department, Police Department and district administrations in Tamil Nadu to coordinate and take joint measures to prevent students and youth from participating in protests and agitation programmes.


According to that communication, the measures were aimed at programmes organised by Left-wing parties and the Tamil Nadu Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The DCE had asked the concerned departments and district administrations to take appropriate, coordinated action to discourage and prevent students from joining such programmes, and had directed the authorities to submit reports detailing the action taken.

The directive had formed part of instructions aimed at preventing students and youth from participating in political protests and agitation programmes organised by the parties named in the communication. It is not yet clear what prompted the withdrawal of the order.