The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, has issued a routine advisory directing students and staff to avoid political activities or discussions without administrative permission.

The directive, issued by the registrar’s office, emphasizes that political statements or opinions through media could strain the institute’s relations with the central government.

This advisory comes amid large-scale protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks.

However, the IIT administration clarified that the advisory is a standard protocol issued at the start of each academic session and is unrelated to the ongoing protests.

The notice highlights concerns about social media posts showing campus members supporting political movements, urging adherence to the institute’s focus on academic and research objectives.Media cell head Sonika Srivastava reiterated that the advisory is part of existing conduct rules and not a new policy.

The institute stressed that no student or employee should engage in political discussions or public criticism without prior approval, to prevent embarrassment to institutional ties with the government or public entities.