Summary
According to a notice issued, suitable events may be organised at the TSG (Technology Students Gymkhana) level to encourage students to participate in sports, cultural and other students welfare related services
IIT Kharagpur has said the “Assimilation Programme”, which the family of deceased student Faizan Ahmed had called a “glorified term for collective ragging”, should be “discontinued with immediate effect”.
“The hall-level Assimilation Programme should be discontinued with immediate effect. Suitable events may be organised at the TSG (Technology Students Gymkhana) level to encourage students to participate in sports, cultural and other students welfare related services…” the institute has said in a notice issued by an assistant registrar on June 12.
Faizan’s family had alleged that the third-year student of mechanical engineering was murdered by senior students because he declined to take part in an assimilation programme.
An IIT official said they had received a slew of complaints from students about excesses committed during assimilation programmes at various hostels.
“These complaints are independent of what was lodged by Faizan Ahmed. But since the assimilation programme is at the heart of the increasing number of complaints, the authorities have decided to discontinue it,” said an official.
Faizan was allegedly harassed and humiliated for refusing to be part of the programme. He was found dead in a room at the Lala Lajpat Rai Hall of Residence on October 14, 2022.
“The HC (Hall Council) members and the AP (Assimilation Programme) coordinators of the Patel and MMM (Madan Mohan Malviya) halls (except those graduating in 2023) will actively work closely with the Deans of SA (Student Affairs) in preventing/curbing any inconvenience to the fresher taking admission in Autumn 2023…” says the notice.
“In case of any further violation of any code of conduct by any of these students… the students will face stern disciplinary action which may include deregistration for one or more semesters.”
The notice says: “The HC members and the AP coordinators of the Patel and MMM halls will carry out community service in the Autumn semester….”
A petition by Faizan’s parents filed in Calcutta High Court last October said he had declined to be part of the “assimilation programme” at the Rajendra Pratap (RP) Hall of Residence in February and March 2022.
The assimilation programme, the petition said, was a “glorified term” for “collective ragging”.
Repeated calls and text messages from this newspaper to IIT director V. K. Tewari failed to elicit any response.
Rehana Ahmed, mother of Faizan Ahmed, said the notice proves that many students are victims of the assimilation programme. “The IIT authorities are now waking up to reality.... I firmly believe Faizan was murdered by senior students because he declined to take part in ragging.”
Last updated on 16 Jun 2023
