IIT Bombay denies food segregation policy, RTI reveals contradictions

IIT Bombay officially declares no segregation policy at canteens in response to RTI application. Previous incidents of fines allegedly levied contradicted.

Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by an in-house student, officially declared that there is no segregation policy at the institute’s canteens. The RTI also clarified that there is no designated space for Jains or students practicing vegetarianism.

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The RTI application was filed to understand the official policy on table segregation within the institute. According to the response, there are no penalties or punishments imposed in IIT Bombay hostels. This information contradicts previous incidents where fines were allegedly levied.

In September, the vegetarian-non-vegetarian debate escalated when ‘veg only’ posters appeared in specific canteen sections. Subsequently, an email was circulated to students residing in IIT Bombay hostel numbers 12, 13, and 14, announcing the reservation of six tables exclusively for vegetarian food. A fine of ₹10,000 was purportedly imposed for non-compliance.

The Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a student group at IIT Bombay, criticized the institute’s administration, accusing them of dishonesty. A member of APPSC stated, “In the RTI response regarding food segregation, IIT administration is openly lying, claiming there is no segregation in hostel messes and no fines were imposed. This contradicts their imposition of a hefty fine of ₹10,000 on a student.”