Students at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune ended their sit-in late on Wednesday, September 2 after a more than four-hour meeting with director Prof Sunil Bhagwat and senior institute officials, with the administration agreeing to measures on mental-health support, medical facilities, hostel mobility, attendance and student spaces.
The meeting, which began at 4 pm and continued until around 8.30 pm, was attended by an 11-member student delegation, the director, deans and other officials. A Student Council representative was also present, according to the institute.
After the meeting, Bhagwat addressed around 100 students gathered outside the Directorate corridor in the Main Academic Building and outlined the agreed measures. A student representative then declared the sit-in concluded.
The institute agreed to recruit two additional permanent counsellors and urgently bring in four part-time counsellors. On medical facilities, the committee will examine the possibility of an additional ambulance to provide emergency coverage when the primary ambulance is unavailable.
The administration agreed to restore cross-mobility between hostels for PhD and integrated PhD students by January. Plans were also discussed to provide additional study and common spaces.
Bhagwat assured students that suggestions for changes to institutional rules and office memoranda would be taken up with the relevant authorities, including the Senate and Board of Governors.
{{/usCountry}}Bhagwat assured students that suggestions for changes to institutional rules and office memoranda would be taken up with the relevant authorities, including the Senate and Board of Governors.
{{/usCountry}}However, the demand for revocation of Student Council general secretary Raj Bagwe’s suspension remained unresolved. According to students, Bhagwat reiterated the institute’s earlier written response on the disciplinary action but did not agree to revoke the suspension.
The institute has maintained that the disciplinary action against Bagwe concerns a separate misconduct matter and is unrelated to the death of a student on August 16.
IISER Pune said in a statement, “On September 2, a delegation of 11 students met with the director and Deans to discuss the demands raised during the sit-in. The director also reiterated the written response shared earlier regarding the disciplinary action against the Student Council General Secretary. Following discussions, certain additional measures related to the demands were approved. The meeting concluded at around 8:30 pm, after which Director Prof. Sunil Bhagwat addressed around 100 students gathered outside the Directorate corridor and summarised the agreed measures.”