A group of professors from IIT Kharagpur have threatened to initiate a hunger strike and seek intervention from the Calcutta High Court regarding a show-cause notice issued to 86 professors.
Since Wednesday, over 100 professors have been staging a sit-in outside the institute’s administrative building, displaying placards and donning black badges. “We have reached out to the chairman of the board of governors for his assistance. The sit-in commenced on Wednesday. If our requests are unmet, we will proceed with a hunger strike. We also intend to approach the court early next week,” stated a professor who wished to remain anonymous.
In September, the Indian Institute of Technology Teachers’ Association (IITTA) accused Director Virendra Kumar Tewari of showing favoritism in the hiring process, neglecting to set up a multi-super-specialty hospital, and unlawfully recovering excess payments from faculty. They urged the Union government to appoint a director known for “high academic repute” and “inclusive governance” practices.
Consequently, show-cause notices were issued to IITTA officials including the president, general secretary, vice-president, and treasurer in November, demanding a comprehensive explanation supported by evidence. These notices were subsequently extended to 86 professors who threatened hunger strikes unless disciplinary actions were rescinded.
On 28 November, the IITTA adopted a resolution signed by 86 faculty members, demanding the withdrawal of these notices and the cessation of disciplinary actions. According to the notices, the institute’s Conduct Rules stipulate that “an employee shall not join other employees in signing any joint representations for redressal of any grievances. ”
In response to this, department heads from AI, mathematics, biosciences, and biotechnology who signed the resolution were dismissed. The administration refrained from commenting on the issue.
