Story By
Akhlas Ahmad

Even though Jamia Millia Islamia attracts a large number of students every year, they usually complain of absence of basic facilities. Lack of bookshops remains one of the major concerns among students. On the contrary, other central University students at Jawaharlal Nehru University and DU have easy accessibility of books. JNU students go to Munirka while  students of Delhi University visit Kamla Nagar and Patel Chest to buy the books.


Kamran Ansari, a student of MA Conflict Analysis and Peace Building at JMI, says “Books recommended in our syllabus are not available at book shops in Jamia Nagar. so we have to go to Jama Masjid or ITO where  it is easier to get books at a reasonable cost”.

However,Saghar Hussain, who sits at the bookshop situated next to the Maktaba Jamia Limited, says “We easily meet the demands of all except some professional courses and Civil Services aspirants”.When contacted, Simi Malhotra, Media Coordinator, JMI said, “We have not received any complaint so far about the lack of books in the bookstore here.We will immediately act in case students register a complaint”.

Though there are some bookshops around Jamia Nagar,  they hardly offer anything beyond school books. Bookstores like Shamsi Book Depot, Chaudhry Book Depot, Al Kitaab International in Batla House are some of the very few shops in Jamia Nagar that people go to buy books. Munazir Arshad, a Civil Services aspirant says, “Bookshops beyond  Jamia Nagar, offer at least some amount of discount on books. Bookshops in this area  do not offer any discount on the books.”

Kafeel Ahmad, a former student of JMI, points out that though many Biryani shops and eateries have opened in the area, nobody thinks of opening a book shop.