IIT Roorkee advisory on political activity sparks row; institute says it’s routine

IIT Roorkee issued an advisory reminding students and staff to avoid political activities or public statements that could embarrass the institute's relations with the government. Following criticism online, the institute clarified it was a routine communication under existing conduct rules

New Delhi: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Roorkee has warned its students and staff against using social media to show affinity to “any political movement like the current one.” The advisory issued on Monday cited the institute’s rules barring students from making any statement which can “embarrass relations between the institute and government.”

While the fresh advisory created furore on social media with several users terming it a “gag order”, the institute insisted that it is in accordance with existing rules and should not be viewed out of context.

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“It has been noticed on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook that some of the campus inmates have shown their affinity with political movement like the one currently in public utterance and criticism. All the students, employees, stakeholders are politely reminded herewith that IIT admitted students or appointed staff to provide for instructions, research and for advancement of learning and dissemination of knowledge in engineering, technology, science and arts,” the IIT registrar said in the July 20 advisory.

“It is engraved in the notified conduct rules that no student or employee will be allowed to join political discussions or participate in any political activity without permission from the institute or make any statement or any opinion in any media in public utterance which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the institute and Central government or any organisation,” it added.

It was an unprecedented Monday of highs and lows as thousands of young and angry people converged near Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, only to be pushed back by lathis and teargas shells.

“Chalo Sansad”. That was the rallying cry bringing together the young who transformed the leafy, high-security streets of central Delhi into extraordinary scenes of protests.

Following the uproar on social media, IIT Roorkee clarified that the communication is an internal advisory circulated amongst students, faculty and staff at the commencement of the academic session.

“Similar advisories are routinely issued every year in accordance with the institute’s existing notified conduct rules and do not constitute any new directive or policy. The communication should not be misinterpreted or viewed out of context,” an institute spokesperson said.

The Cockroach Janata Party, the online movement that spearheaded Monday’s march, has been demanding the resignation of Pradhan and Rs 1 crore compensation each for the families of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leak earlier in the year.

The CJP began its protest on June 20, while Ladakhi activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28. He has been on hunger strike ever since.