The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur has responded by issuing a show-cause notice to 90 faculty members after allegations of “bias”, “retaliation in faculty selection” and failure to build a hospital on campus surfaced against its director. The rift between administration and teachers deepened.
The institute has also issued an order to replace the three department heads who signed the collective petition.
The conflict began in September, when the IIT Teachers’ Association (IITTA) wrote to the Union Education Ministry accusing the institute of arbitrary recruitment and other irregularities during the tenure of its current director VK Tiwari. The ministry has also requested to appoint a new director after his term ends in January 2025.
In response, the Institute initiated disciplinary proceedings against four IITTA officials, who were asked to substantiate their claims. According to sources, officials were asked to submit the documents within a week, but they asked for a month’s time.
However, the issue collapsed after 86 faculty members wrote a collective petition to the institute, threatening to go on a hunger strike if the four IITTA officials were not returned with a show cause. But the institute doubled down and issued show cause notices to these 86 as well.
On Wednesday and Thursday, around 100 professors took out a silent protest rally in the campus wearing black belts. Sources say faculty members and IITTA are discussing whether to go to court against the institute or not.
The administration on Wednesday also changed three heads of the departments of Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence and Bioscience and Biotechnology. They are all faculty members who were sent notices. Although the officials did not say whether their removal was related to the recent tensions, neither office orders mentioned the reason for the move.
“Although the director has the authority to change the department, these three have not completed three years, which is usually the tenure of a department head. Also, the move comes at a time when the semester results are coming in, and PhD admissions are taking place, so the faculty is busy,” said a source.
What the September letter says
IITTA’s letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan highlights that the tenure of current director Tiwari will end in January 2025.
Claims that “favoritism has increased” during his tenure and that “more academically excellent and more discerning senior teachers have been repeatedly bypassed for promotion to the same person”.
He claims that major administrative posts such as dean of various committees, head of department and chairman of various committees have been selected in disregard of all the rules and regulations of the institution.
It also alleged that “several existing faculty members have left the institute due to arbitrary and vindictive practices in the faculty selection process.”
It highlights that the institute failed to start a “Multi Super Specialty Hospital” within the campus.
On November 12, the Institute had sent show cause notices to the President, Vice President, General Secretary and Treasurer of IITTA. Two weeks later, on November 28, IITTA submitted a collective petition to the authorities demanding withdrawal of the show cause notices to the four office bearers. It was signed by 86 faculty members and members of IITTA.
A day later, on November 29, the institute issued a show cause notice to 86. which read: “Your action has violated the Institute’s Code of Conduct … which states: ‘No joint representation addressed to any employee shall be signed. authorities for redressal of any grievance or any other matter. In view of the above you Within seven days of receiving this notice, you have to show cause why no action should be taken.”
A few days later, on December 2, orders were issued to transfer three department heads.
In a statement issued on December 3, IIT-Kharagpur said, “The institution stands firm in rejecting all allegations. Out of more than 800 faculty members, 85 of these signatories are accused of threatening the administration with the intention of taking action, propagating mass hate motives and the general functioning of the institution without any specific agenda.” The act of disrupting the academic work flow has been questioned. Most of the signatories are unaware of the agenda’s purpose and are therefore withdrawing their stance.”
“This is an academic institution, and this kind of propaganda and approach should not be encouraged,” he said.
Tiwari and a media executive from the director’s office did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Courtesy of Atri Mitra