Students at IISER-Mohali protest over hostel, surveillance curbs; strike suspended after talks

According to students, the protest began on April 7 around 11 am, when they assembled outside the administration block. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a student leader said the situation escalated after the Dean Students reportedly told them “they’ll meet only the SRC (Student Representative Council), and no one else,” which the students rejected.

Around 2 pm, the former Dean Students, along with two wardens, suggested a closed-door meeting, but the students viewed this as “a further failure of the current DSO (Dean Students’ Office) to engage in discussions”. A suggestion to shift the gathering to a lecture hall was also turned down, citing earlier unsuccessful meetings.

The protest intensified through the afternoon. Around 3.30 pm, the students moved to the main gate and blocked the entrance. With no response from the administration, they shifted at 4 pm to a road near the sports complex to “showcase the frustration of the student body to the broader IISER Mohali community”.

Tensions peaked soon after. Sources said around 4.30 pm, “one member of staff from admin tried to force her scooter through the crowd during which the front tyre run over a student’s feet”. Later, around 6.30 pm, a faculty member allegedly “stopped his car very close to the crowd and then accelerated it again”, hitting a few students.

The students demanded an apology, and said the initial refusal worsened the situation. The DSO arrived only after the incident and said that “no one got hurt”. Under pressure, the faculty member later apologised, saying, “If your ego got hurt, I am sorry.”

The student leader alleged that similar incidents involved another faculty member, who reportedly hit a student with her vehicle and later apologised, though she allegedly spoke harshly to the student. Similar allegations were also made against other staff members.
Even as discussions were initiated, tensions persisted. The blockade was lifted after the DSO agreed to talks, but another faculty member allegedly attempted to drive through the crowd during the process.

A late-night meeting in Hostel 3 attended by deans and wardens “resulted in no fruitful outcomes”, the student leader said, adding that the DSO left midway. The protest continued until 12.30 am before shifting to the MK block, with students dispersing only after being assured that their demands would be taken up the next day.

The students listed their demands as “roll back entry exit policy,” “roll back current gate pass policies,” “no CCTVs in residential and/or private areas,” “no invasion of privacy by caretakers and/or administration,” “build functioning Wi-Fi and other academic infrastructure,” “extend in-house internship application deadlines,” “allow summer students to stay for the whole summer,” “ensure access to hygienic, affordable food for all,” “ensure easy access to clean drinking water for all,” “appropriately rationalise disciplinary actions,” “assure single rooms for all BS-MS students of 3rd year and above,” “permanent student representation in senate and decisive power for issues affecting students,” and “bring back natural greenery of campus”.

The students said the strike had only been suspended and warned that “if their demands are not met, the protest will resume on a larger scale”.

Despite repeated attempts, no official statement was issued by the IISER authorities. Multiple calls to the Dean of Academics and the Dean of Students went unanswered.