“Get Loans If You Don’t Have Money”: Stubborn IITG Director Snubs Protesting Students

All is not well at IIT Guwahati !

For the second consecutive day, the premier institute has been rocked by protests as students voiced strong opposition to a sudden and steep hike in academic fees across PhD, MTech, and BTech programmes. On Wednesday, tensions flared further when students accused Director Prof. Devendra Jalihal of refusing to engage in dialogue, despite repeated appeals for a meeting. Protesters also alleged that a senior security officer threatened them with legal action and police involvement while they were peacefully assembled outside the director’s office.

The students, who have been demanding a rollback of the sudden fee hike across PhD, MTech, and BTech programmes, expressed deep frustration over the administration’s continued silence. The hike, reportedly made without any prior consultation or assessment of its impact on economically vulnerable students, has triggered widespread resentment.

What has further aggravated the situation is the alleged apathy of the director, Prof. Devendra Jalihal. According to protesting students, a delegation had been waiting outside the director’s office throughout the day, seeking a meeting. Despite being seen moving between meetings, the director reportedly refused to engage with them.

Speaking exclusively to Pratidin Time, a student representative said, “We waited peacefully outside his office, but he chose not to speak with us. At one point, he sarcastically told our representatives, ‘What’s the hike? ₹45,000? Take a loan of ₹5,000 from us if needed.’ This kind of response from the highest authority of the institute shows complete disregard for the students’ concerns.”

Students allege that this is not an isolated instance. In a previous open house meeting, a similar remark about taking loans was made by another official, indicating a pattern of dismissive attitudes from the administration.

Tensions further heightened when a security officer, identified by students as Manzil Hazarika, allegedly threatened the protestors with legal action. “He told us we would be dragged to the police station and that cases would be filed against us. He called us agitators, not students,” one student said, adding that they were merely exercising their right to peaceful protest in an accessible part of the administrative block.

Despite the sweltering humidity and lack of food and water, students reportedly continued their demonstration throughout the day. No senior official from the administration had addressed them till evening, further fueling anger and disappointment.

“This is institutional neglect,” said another student. “Is it believable that the director has been in meetings since morning and has no time to speak with students who are sitting here peacefully for hours? When a crisis like this unfolds, is it not the duty of the administration to engage in dialogue instead of hiding behind closed doors?”

The fee hike protest, which first erupted on Tuesday, has gained momentum due to what students see as the administration’s refusal to listen or even acknowledge their concerns. The absence of a conciliatory gesture, combined with what they term as “threats and humiliation,” has left many students disillusioned with the functioning of one of India’s premier institutes.

As of Wednesday evening, students vowed to continue their protest until their demands are heard and addressed meaningfully. The IIT Guwahati administration has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

Also Read: Fresh Protests at IIT Guwahati Over Steep Fee Hike, Students Cry Foul