ABVP alleges ‘ideological bias’ at IIT-Gn, institute denies it

Ahmedabad: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Sunday issued a statement alleging "ideological bias and cultural insensitivity" at IIT Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn) and demanded "appropriate steps" be taken against the "responsible faculty members". It was referring to a controversy that erupted online after some social media accounts shared screenshots of four academic projects on the theme of Islamic studies by the students of humanities and social sciences at the premier institute.
IIT-Gn officials, however, refuted the allegations and said that the details circulated online were taken out of context. The ABVP media release said, "The incident is a clear indication of prejudice, discrimination and insult to the cultural and national sentiments of students from the Hindu community". "It is alarming that it focuses on theses, projects and subjects related to Islam in a disproportionate manner, which raises questions of academic impartiality," read the release. "We call for an immediate restoration of transparency in the communication process, protection of students from threats and retribution and impartial investigation into the actions and biases of faculty members," read the release.

IIT-Gn officials said that there are 40 student theses, out of which four are being targeted and that too without considering proper context. "The issues could have been raised when students were defending their thesis, but no such academic discussion was initiated at that time. More importantly, no complaint was made to the authorities concerned, and the issue was directly taken to the social media platforms. It raises safety issues for students and faculty members whose names are being circulated online," said a senior official. Some members of the student community expressed their solidarity with the students and said that it has caused duress for all.