Students affiliated with the University of Jaffna staged a protest march demanding the government resign immediately, citing corruption, economic mismanagement, and nepotism. The protest reflects an anti-authoritarian stance aimed at challenging the existing regime.

University of Jaffna contributed its expertise by involving senior archaeologists and students in the excavation of a mass grave in Chemmani, supporting efforts to uncover evidence of past atrocities and address long-standing grievances.

Under pressure from student protests, the University of Jaffna canceled a scheduled speech by lawyer Swasthika Arulingam and forced the Teachers' Association to withdraw its statement advocating for academic freedom. The decision was taken over concerns regarding the speaker's past criticism of the LTTE, raising questions about the institution's commitment to upholding free expression.

The University of Jaffna cancelled a scheduled lecture by attorney Swasthika Arulingam on 'Judicial Independence in Times of Crisis' on October 31, 2023, following student pressure over her past political remarks. The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association condemned the decision, calling for restoration of academic freedom and a dialogue on freedom of speech.

The University of Jaffna's administration proposed a new code of ethics imposing dress code restrictions—such as banning beards, mandating sarees on Fridays for female students, and restricting casual attire—which student unions decry as an infringement on personal freedom, prompting protest threats.

On December 6, 2012, University of Jaffna authorities handed over a list of students to police without questioning the underlying reasons, effectively facilitating arbitrary arrests and repressive state actions. This episode, part of a broader crisis of militarization and human rights abuses on campus, has raised concerns over the university’s failure to protect academic freedom and its complicity in authoritarian practices.

The article discusses the ongoing strike by university teachers, highlighting robust trade union activism at the University of Jaffna. This movement, part of the broader FUTA strike, is portrayed as a critical force for democratizing higher education and resisting militarisation and authoritarian pressures, thus reinvigorating public debate on labor rights and state education policies.