Section of IIT Kharagpur faculty threatens hunger strike over show-cause notices

Over 100 Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur professors have been holding a sit-in in front of the institute’s administrative building since Wednesday

A section of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur faculty has threatened a hunger strike and plans to move the Calcutta high court against show-cause notices to 86 professors.

IIT Kharagpur authorities refused to comment on the developments. (HT PHOTO)

Over 100 professors have been holding a sit-in in front of the institute’s administrative building since Wednesday holding placards and wearing black badges. “We have written to the chairman of the board of governors for his intervention. The sit-in started on Wednesday. If our demands are not met, we will go on a hunger strike. We are also planning to move court early next week,” said a professor, who did not want to be named.

In September, the Indian Institute of Technology Teachers’ Association (IITTA) wrote to the Union government accusing director Virendra Kumar Tewari, whose five-year term is due to end in January 2025, of nepotism, arbitrary faculty recruitment, failure to start a multi-super-specialty hospital, unlawful recovery of excess payment from faculties and vitiating the harmony between the IIT campus and neighbouring community.

“The letter [to the Union government] said letters to the director, board of governors, and the chairman over the issues in the past went unanswered. The minister was requested to appoint a new director of high academic repute and experienced in practising inclusive governance,” said an IITTA member, who did not wish to be named.

The IIT administration responded by issuing show-cause notices to the IITA office bearers, including its president, general secretary, vice president, and treasurer in November.

The notices expressed deep concern over the letter to the Union government and sought a detailed written explanation with evidence within a week. The institute issued notices to 86 professors after they wrote the institute threatening a hunger strike if those sent to the four IITTA office-bearers were not rolled back.

The IITTA sent a resolution to the IIT registrar on November 28, signed by 86 faculty members, after holding an extraordinary general body meeting, demanding the immediate withdrawal of notices to the office bearers and stopping the disciplinary proceedings. It said they would launch a hunger strike if the demands were not met.

The show-cause notices cited the Conduct Rules of the Institute, statute 15 (17) Schedule B, point 16 (b), which says no employee shall be a signatory to any joint representation addressed to the authorities for redress of any grievances or of any further matter.

The administration replaced heads of artificial intelligence, mathematics, bioscience, and biotechnology departments who signed the mass resolution.

The IIT authorities refused to comment on the developments.