Amid student protests being witnessed in university campuses across the country, the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-Bombay) has banned “anti-national activities” and “speeches, plays, music or any other activities that disturb the peace of hostel environment” as part of the latest hostel rules that it wants to implement strictly on its Powai campus.
In a 15-point “Code of Conduct Rules” mailed to the IIT-B students on Tuesday, the institute’s Associate Dean of Student Affairs stated: “This mail is to reiterate and highlight some of the hostel rules which need to be strictly implemented from January 28, 2020”.
Among the 15 points, the rule number 10 stands out: “Residents shall not participate in any anti-national, anti-social and/or any other undesirable activities”. Significantly enough, the Code of Conduct has not defined as to what are “anti-national activities”.
The second such significant restriction mentioned in the code of conduct reads thus: “No Posters or leaflets/pamphlets distribution allowed in the hostel without the permission of the respective hostel council or Dean of Students Affairs (DoSA)”.
Another equally stringent restriction reads thus: “Speeches/plays/music or any other activities that disturb the peace of hostel environment are strictly prohibited. Not allowed even if faculty is part of the gathering. Only matters that are approved by the DoSA office will be permitted”.
On her part, the IIT-B spokesperson sought to downplay the “Code of Conduct Rules” by saying: “These are not new rules, but were in the statutes”.
The gag order issued to the IIT-B students should be seen in the context of a peaceful protest march that the students had organised on December 15 inside the campus, against violence meted out to Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) students. They carried torches, placards and banners saying ‘In Solidarity With Jamia’.
The gag order should also be seen in the light of the fact that a section of students belonging to four different groups at IIT-B (Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, North-East Collective, Ambedkar Students’ Collective and Charchavedi) that are part of a collective called ‘IIT-Bombay for Justice’ has joined the anti-CAA and NRC protest organised by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice on December 27.
Many of the students of IIT-B feel that the Code of Conduct is the direct fallout of protests against CAA and NRC being witnessed on the campuses of educational institutions across the country. They feel that the latest restrictions are a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution which provides freedom of speech. Another section of students have even gone to extent dubbing the Institute’s move is tantamount to internal emergency with the IIT-B. Most of the students who are opposing the new hostel rules owe allegiance to the outfit ‘IIT-Bombay for Justice’.
When asked about `IIT-Bombay for Justice’, IIT-B’s official spokesperson said: “IIT-Bombay for Justice is not an officially recognised body of the Institute”.
Among other things, the 15-point Code of Conduct rules warn the students against screening pirate/unauthorized/unlicensed movies, moving around furniture and fitments, against defacing walls, doors, windows, shelves from inside or outside and against indulging in ragging. “Ragging is a criminal offence,” the Code of Conduct stated.
The rules also prohibit the students from possession, smoking and consumption of alcoholic drinks or narcotic drugs inside the institute’s campus. “Entering IIT-B campus/hostel in intoxicated state is also strictly prohibited,” the Code of conduct stated. While barring persons of opposite sex, guest or otherwise from staying in hotels overnight after 10 pm, the gang order said: “Only students of IIT Bombay are permitted to visit the rooms of hostel for academic purpose. They need to deposit IIT-B ID cards and with the hostel security and sign the visitors’ book.
The rules however allow parents, brother and sister to stay in the hostel rooms after prior permission from the warden or DoSA.
The rules bar the students staying in hostels from using two or four-wheelers inside the campus. On the good behaviour side, the IIT-B management has stated: “All residents shall be courteous and fair with everyone inside and outside the hostel. All students shall carry their institute identity cards and produce on demand. Fines and or disciplinary punhisments awarded under WDC and DAC need to be adhered within the timeframe provided”.
Spread over 550 acres, the sprawling IIT-B complex — at Powai in north-east Mumbai —has in all 18 hostels — including three hostels for women. There are at least 6,000 students anf faculty numbers at any given point of time.