‘Don’t Say Anything That Will Embarrass Institute’s Relations With the Govt’: IIT Roorkee Issues Gag Order to Students, Staff
New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, on Monday (July 20) issued a notice asking its students and staff to refrain from participating in political activities or making public statements that could affect the institute's relationship with the government.
The notice was issued as thousands of protesters thronged the national capital demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation amid a wider controversy surrounding the state of the Indian education system.
While the institute’s statement did not explicitly mention the protest in New Delhi, it said that “It has been noticed on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook etc. that some of the campus inmates [have] shown their affinity with political movements like the one currently, in public utterance and in public criticism.”
Screengrab from X. Photo: X/@PunYaab
The institute asked stakeholders not to make any statement “which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the institute and the central government or any other organizations or members of the public.”
“All the students, employees, stakeholders are politely reminded herewith that IIT admitted students or appointed staff to provide for instructions, research and for the advancement of learning, and dissemination of knowledge in engineering, technology, sciences and arts,” the notice read.
The notice referred to “notified conduct rules” saying that no student or employee of the institute is allowed to join political discussions or participate in such activities without prior permission from the institute.
“It is engraved in the notified conduct rules that no student or employee will be allowed to join political discussion or participate in any political activity without prior permission for the institute or make any statement or opinion in any broadcast/telecast or in any print or electronic media in any public utterance which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the institute and the central government or any other organizations or members of the public. All are advised to adhere to these guidelines,” the notice said.
The institute later issued a statement saying that notice was part of routine communication with students at the start of the academic session. “The communication being referred to is an internal advisory circulated among students, faculty, and staff at the commencement of each 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,” the institute said.
This story will be updated if a response is received from the institute.
The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
