‘Over giving quote to media': Bombay HC revokes suspension issued by IIT, reinstates research student

Indian Express

2 days ago

The Bombay High Court has ordered that the suspension of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay research scholar, issued on April 28 for allegedly giving a quote to the media, will cease to be effective from July 25, reinstating him as research student.
Akshay M Sawant, a PhD student in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the IIT Bombay and a member of the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), an informal student collective active on campus, was suspended in April this year following allegations that he gave an 'unauthorised' statement to a news outlet in February regarding his department's initiative to make arrangements for Ramadan.
Sawant moved the Bombay High Court against the suspension order issued by the institute which stated that he is suspended until December 31, 2025, an action taken as per the recommendations by the disciplinary action committee.
Sawant's plea stated that he had addressed a detailed written communication to the IIT-Bombay explaining how charges levelled against him were unfounded but the Institute's Fact-Finding and Disciplinary Action Committees failed to consider the same. Aarguing that the suspension would have a 'severe and adverse impact' on his academic and career prospects, the petition, sought from the court that the 'arbitrary' April 28 suspension order be quashed and set aside and the Institute be directed to revoke the suspension and restore his entitlements as a student with effect from April 28.
On July 15, the petitioner gave an undertaking to the high court that he would abide by all institute Rules and Regulations, including the Interim Guidelines for students of November 2023 related to holding of events at IIT-Bombay.
'In view of the above undertakings, the suspension will cease to have effect from 25th July 2025,' the HC noted.
Hearing his plea on July 15 against the suspension, a division bench of Justices Makarand S Karnik and Nitin R Borkar stated that 'the period of suspension undergone by him will not be treated as stigmatic or have a bearing on the record of the petitioner'. The order was made available on Friday.
This came after senior advocate Mihir Desai and advocate Lara Jesani for the petitioner submitted that he was willing to put it on record with the IIT-Bombay that he did not make the statements referred to the article in question as an authorised representative of the institute, but the same were made in his individual capacity.
Disposing of the plea, the bench further clarified that the order was passed 'in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case so that the academic career of the petitioner should not be jeopardised'.
There is no response from the IIT-Bombay administration on the matter.
The APPSC on Friday issued a statement in solidarity. 'This case is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader, systemic pattern of targeted actions against student community in general and particularly more harsh towards those who engage in critical discourse around student rights, institutional accountability, and the rights of SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, workers' right inside campus and other marginalised communities to build moral pressure on the administration. It is in this context that we must view the administration's increasingly repressive measures, including the Interim Guidelines on Holding Events at IIT Bombay,' read the statement, demanding withdrawal of the guidelines.
The guidelines issued in November 2023 made it mandatory that public events organised by the faculty should be approved by the head of the academic unit, while for events organised by students, official permission is needed from the administration. It also announced that an approval from an 'external speaker review committee' will be mandatory to invite an outside speaker to the institute.
The guidelines included a stern warning that disciplinary action will be taken against anyone, including students, who violate defamation rules or indulge in any form of indiscipline.