A viral IIT Roorkee advisory cautioning students and staff against participating in political activities without prior permission has sparked criticism
July 21, 2026: A circular issued by IIT Roorkee advising students and staff not to participate in political discussions or activities without prior permission has triggered a controversy after it went viral on social media. The advisory reminded members of the institute that, under its existing conduct rules, students and employees must obtain permission before engaging in political activities or making public statements that could affect the institute’s relationship with the Central Government or other organisations. The institute later clarified that the communication was not a new policy but a routine advisory circulated at the beginning of every academic session.
The circular drew sharp criticism from several quarters, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra, who accused the institute of curbing students’ constitutional right to free speech and protest. In a post on social media, she urged the institute to withdraw the advisory and apologise. The communication, dated July 20, referred to social media posts by some campus members expressing support for ongoing political movements and reminded students and staff that the institute’s primary role is education, research, and academic advancement.
Responding to the criticism, IIT Roorkee reiterated that the advisory was issued in line with its notified conduct rules and should not be viewed out of context. The institute maintained that similar communications are released every year and do not represent any change in policy. The controversy comes amid nationwide political discussions surrounding the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests supporting activist Sonam Wangchuk’s “Sansad Chalo” movement, which has called for education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.