Summary
The letter by the teachers’ association addressed to the director V.K.Tewari on Friday says the members and non-members of the association 'are deeply aggrieved about the sudden stoppage of the admission process'
The IIT Kharagpur teachers have written to the institute’s director, seeking an immediate meeting to discuss the present impasse over the suspension of admission to the PhD and MS (master of science) programme owing to the absence of accommodation facilities and the “resultant effect it will have” on the research activities.
The letter by the teachers’ association addressed to the director V.K.Tewari on Friday says the members and non-members of the association “are deeply aggrieved about the sudden stoppage of the admission process”.
The teachers association said they wanted an immediate meeting to find “a constructive solution to the present impasse”.
A member of the association said they have reiterated their plea for a meeting as the director allegedly took a decision to suspend the admission unilaterally without any discussion in the academic senate and without exploring alternative ways.
Metro reported on October 15 that IIT Kharagpur has suspended admission to the PhD and MS (master of science) programme “due to severe shortage of hostel accommodation”.
An IIT official told this newspaper early this week that IIT Kharagpur, would not be able to resume the admissions before July 2024.
The letter sent by the teachers’ association says: “IITTA (IIT Teachers’ Association) approached the faculty members of the institute (both members and non-members of the Teachers’ Association) and 174 faculty colleagues shared the same concerns…..They are deeply aggrieved about the sudden stoppage of the admission process and the resultant effect it will have on their research activities”.
“Hence, we reiterate our earlier request to you to have an immediate meeting with us for finding a constructive solution to the present impasse”.
Asked about what could be the constructive solution, an IIT teacher said there are some vacant staff quarters, old and newer ones, on the campus and these could be used to accommodate the research scholars.
“The old staff quarters could be made usable by carrying out some minor repair works. The newer ones have not been allotted for some reason and they have been lying vacant for days. These quarters could be used by the research scholars for a semester,” he said.
“When the IIT administration could not construct new hostels, they needed to explore the alternatives in consultation with the teachers”.
Calls and text messages to the director V.K.Tewari failed to elicit any response.
Another alternative, a teacher said, could be helping fresh entrants find PG accommodation, provided the institute supports the students with HRA (House Rent Allowance).
“Since IIT is an entirely residential campus, they should be able to offer alternative facilities available to the students,” he said.
The association in a previous communication to the director on October 12 wrote suspension of the admission would have an effect on the ranking of the institute and the IOE (Institute of Eminence) mandate.
“Several departments will face difficulty in running courses and labs effectively without adequate and regular supply of PhD and MS students,” the earlier letter
said.
A member of the association said if the director does not grant an appointment they would be forced to initiate steps to call an emergency meeting of the senate.
“The director took the decision to suspend the admission unilaterally. Such an important academic decision was not placed in the Senate. If a certain section of the teachers seek a senate meeting the director would be forced to call a meeting,” he said.
Last updated on 04 Nov 2023
