IIT Roorkee asks students, staff to refrain from political activity without prior approval

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee on Monday (July 20, 2026) issued an advisory reminding students, employees and other stakeholders to refrain from participating in political activities or making public statements on political matters without prior permission from the institute. 

The advisory comes after the institute said it had noticed, on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, posts by some members of the campus community expressing support for or criticism of ongoing political movements. 

According to the communication sent to students via email, the institute reiterated that its primary mandate was to impart education, undertake research, advance learning and disseminate knowledge in engineering, technology, sciences and the arts. 

Citing its notified conduct rules, the institute said students and employees were not permitted to participate in political discussions or political activities without prior approval from the competent authority. 

“It is engraved in the notified conduct rules that no student or employee will be allowed to join political discussion or participate in any political activity without prior permission from the institute or make any statement or opinion in any broadcast/telecast or in any print or electronic media in any public utterance which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the institute and the Central government or any other organisations or members of the public,” the email read.

Responding to the authenticity of the email, whose screenshots were widely shared on social media, Sonika Srivastava, media cell in-charge of IIT Roorkee, said it was the routine advisory issued to students and faculty of the institution every year, and hence the same should not be misinterpreted or viewed out of context.