An IIT Kharagpur teacher who had allegedly verbally abused students from disadvantaged categories last month for not standing up for the national anthem during an online class has been suspended based on a fact-finding committee’s report, said an institute official.

IIT Kharagpur registrar Tamal Nath said on Wednesday evening: “We have put her on suspension until further orders, based on the report. In this inquiry process, suspension is the first step that we have taken. She will not take classes during the suspension period and normal suspension rules will be followed.”

The teacher, who is an associate professor from the department of humanities and social science, was allegedly caught on video verbally abusing some students and their parents during a preparatory English class, which is offered to students from reserved categories.

In the purported video, a rant could be heard: “This is the minimum you can do for your country. Listen to me…. I have 20 marks for you, I will give zero to everybody. All 128. Do you want that? Tell me. Do you want that? (‘No, ma’am’, says a student in a meek voice). Shameless people. You have to only stand up for two minutes in honour of the national anthem and you cannot do it. And one bloody b******. You know, this is also on your parents. Be it like that. I am calling your parents that. Do you have any shame? Shameless creature of prep course. One smart fellow. (He) did not stand up for the national anthem and said ‘Bharat Mata ki’. Are you in school now? Bloody B******.”

Repeated calls and text messages to the accused teacher went unanswered.

On April 27, the students’ senate that represents all the students on the IIT Kharagpur campus had sought an inquiry into the verbal abuse.

Sources on the campus said it would be decided later if measures like pay cut or scrapping of increment will be initiated against the teacher.

Over 1,000 former students of several IITs had written to IIT Kharagpur director V.K. Tewari at the end of April, seeking strong action against the teacher. The alumni had written the teacher “is a habitual offender and believes her casteism and abuse will go uncensored”.

Late April, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes had taken suo-motu cognisance of the alleged use of “unparliamentary language and casteist remarks’’ by an IIT Kharagpur teacher and asked the institute to submit an action-taken report in 15 days.

A report has been sent to the commission, registrar Nath said.

An official of the commission said they will write to IIT Kharagpur in a day or two after going through the report.

The commission had earlier recommended measures like filing of an FIR, slapping of relevant sections on the accused and arrest of the accused, among other things.