IIT-B students call off stir after director assures dialogue, accountability

In the email addressed to students, the IIT-B stressed on the need for continued dialogue while referring to various initiatives being taken to improve student life

Mumbai: Students at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) who had launched a sit-in protest after a second year student was found dead in his hostel room on September 18 on Friday called off their protest after 57 days, following assurances from the institute administration regarding accountability and future dialogue on grievances and demands.

(HT Photo)

In a statement issued from Justice Corner, the protest site on campus, the students said that they had decided to call off their stir after receiving assurances over email from IIT-B director Shireesh Kedare, and getting back most of their personal belongings including laptops which were confiscated from the protest site on October 18.

“This is the victory of Justice Corner and the students of IIT Bombay. We will continue fighting against every injustice,” the statement said.

In the evening, the students also posted a video on social media platforms saying they held a meeting with the dean of student affairs in the afternoon, wherein several of their key demands, including student participation in decision-making and a proper student grievance redressal mechanism, were accepted, and the institute had started working towards implementing them. Around 9.30pm, they participated in a victory march on campus to mark the end of their protest.

“Student representatives and various student bodies are working with the administration, faculty members and alumni to address concerns across the campus. Efforts are being made to strengthen student grievance redressal systems, improve student wellbeing at the department and hostel levels, and revise hostel mess processes and facilities,” Kedare said.

The email referred to plans to onboard professional counsellors, develop an IIT-B wellbeing application, conduct sensitisation workshops for faculty and staff, and strengthen activities of the SC/ST and gender cells with emphasis on accessibility, awareness, inclusion and effective assistance for students. It said that student bodies alongwith the alumni have actively taken up initiatives concerning gymkhana infrastructure, hostel amenities, common spaces, recreational facilities and campus eateries, besides engaging with relevant stakeholders on infrastructure-related interventions.

“The progress made so far has depended on the active participation and trust of the student community, faculty, alumni and staff. There were multiple meetings held with student representatives, including hostel GSs (general secretaries), department GSs, institute GS, institute secretaries and student body coordinators, hostel council members, hostel mess secretaries, institute faculty, wardens, heads of departments and centres, staff, etc. We are grateful to all students who have shared their experiences, raised concerns, contributed ideas and engaged with the processes through which these initiatives are being taken forward,” Kedare said in the email.

The email said that the faith placed in dialogue and constructive engagement had enabled student bodies and institute functionaries to work towards solutions that take into account constraints of different stakeholders while keeping students’ needs at the centre. Meaningful institutional reform requires long-term effort, is difficult to pursue and involves change in approach and continued follow-through, it noted.

“The larger objective is to build systems that are more responsive, empathetic and reflective of students’ as well as faculty and staff needs. The aim is to install processes where everyone feels heard, supported and connected to the decisions that enrich their campus experience and also enable them to work towards taking the institute ahead on the path of excellence,” the email said.

Students who were part of the 57-day protest said they would continue to raise questions about the issues that led to the protest and seek justice and accountability from the institute.

Deceased students’ parents to continue protest

Meanwhile, parents of the deceased student posted a video on their social media accounts on Friday saying they would continue with their protest seeking a fair probe into their son’s death and the arrest of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was named as an accused in the first information report (FIR).

”We have decided to shift our protest from Azad Maidan to the main gate of IIT Bombay from November 23. If we do not get justice, we will continue our protest outside the chief minister’s residence in Nagpur during the winter session of the state legislature from December 7,” the student’s father said in the video.