The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, has issued an advisory, asking students and employees not to participate in political activities or discussions without seeking permission from the administration.
Students and employees are not allowed to make political statements or express opinions through broadcast, print or electronic media, the advisory issued by the Registrar’s Office on Monday said.
Such statements could embarrass the institute’s relations with the central government, the directive said.
The advice comes against the backdrop of widespread protests organized by the Kokruche Janta Party (CJP) in New Delhi, seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged leaks of examination papers.
However, the management of IIT, Roorkee, also clarified that the communication is a routine advisory issued at the beginning of every academic session and has nothing to do with the ongoing protests. The institute said the notice should not be misinterpreted or viewed out of context.
However, the notice said: “It has been observed on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc. that some campus inmates have shown their affinity with the political movement such as the one currently in existence, in public discourse and in public criticism.”
The notice reminded students, employees and other stakeholders that the primary objective of the institute is “to provide instruction, research, advancement of learning and dissemination of knowledge in engineering, technology, science and arts.”
It also said: “It is engraved in the notified code of conduct that no student or employee will be allowed to join political discussion or engage in any political activity without prior permission of the Institute or express any statement or opinion on any broadcast/television or in any print or electronic media in any public discourse that could embarrass the relations between the Institute and the Central Government or any other organizations or members of the public.”
Sonika Srivastava, media cell in-charge, IIT Roorkee, said, “The referenced letter is an internal advisory circulated among students, faculty and staff at the beginning of every academic session. Similar warnings are routinely issued every year as per the existing Notified Code of Conduct of the institute and do not constitute any new directive or policy. The letter should not be misinterpreted or viewed out of context.”
Registrar Prashant Garg did not respond to calls despite repeated attempts.
