IIT-Roorkee advises students, staff against political posts

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Roorkee has warned its students and staff against using social media to show affinity to “any political movement like the current one.”

The advisory issued on Monday cited the institute’s rules barring students from making any statement which can “embarrass relations between the institute and Government.”

While the fresh advisory created furore on social media with several users terming it a “gag order”, the institute insisted that it is in accordance with existing rules and should not be viewed out of context. “It has been noticed on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook that some of the campus inmates have shown their affinity with political movements like the one currently in public utterance and criticism.

All the students, employees, and stakeholders are politely reminded herewith that IIT admitted students or appointed staff are to provide for instructions, research and for advancement of learning and dissemination of knowledge in engineering, technology, science and arts,” the IIT registrar said in the July 20 advisory.