IIT Kharagpur has showcaused 86 teachers for “being a signatory” to a mass representation in which they told the registrar not to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the four office-bearers of the IIT teachers’ association.

The registrar said in a notice on November 29 that those who signed the mass petition are being showcaused because their act has “violated” the conduct rules of the institute.

The notice said according to statute 15 (17) Schedule B, point 16 (B): “No employee shall be signatory to any joint representation addressed to the authorities for redress of any grievances or of any other matter.”

The teachers have been told to give reasons within seven days to explain “why action shall not be taken against” them for their act.

The teachers have been told that if the response is unsatisfactory “it will result in action”.

“Failure to respond within the stipulated time or provide a satisfactory explanation will result in action against you as per rules,” said the notice signed by the registrar.

The notice was emailed to each teacher separately.

The 86 teachers in their mass representation addressed to the registrar on November 28 said the faculty members demand that two showcause notices issued against the four office-bearers of the teachers’ association and the general secretary of the association (the general secretary was separately showcaused) “be withdrawn immediately and the disciplinary proceeding is stopped with immediate effect”.

“If the demand is not met by Monday, December 2, 2024, we will go for hunger strike”, the petition said.

The Telegraph reported on November 20 that the IIT Kharagpur authorities sent a showcause notice to the four office bearers of the teachers’ association on November 12 over its letter to the Union education ministry on September 20 about alleged nepotism, arbitrary faculty recruitment and other lapses, which the teachers said unfolded in the tenure of the present IIT director V. K. Tewari.

Registrar Amit Jain in a separate communication on November 12 showcaused the general secretary of the teachers’ association on charges of speaking to the media about the allegations.

The office bearers and the general secretary were asked to respond by November 19.

On November 14, those who had been showcaused wrote to the registrar asking that the deadline for their response be extended to December 26 because teachers were busy with academic assignments.

On November 21, the IIT Kharagpur authorities initiated “disciplinary proceedings” against the four officer-bearers of the teachers’ association because they did not respond to the showcause notice.

A professor who is a member of the teachers’ association said they held an extraordinary general body meeting on November 28 in which it was decided that 86 teachers would send a mass representation to the registrar so that the showcause notice was withdrawn and the disciplinary proceedings were not initiated.

“When we repeatedly wanted to meet the IIT director to discuss our grievances, he did not grant an appointment. Left with no choice, we had to write to the ministry. Now, the IIT administration is turning vindictive against us,” said a professor.

Calls and text messages to the registrar and the director went unanswered.