IIT Madras Accused of Asking Students To Delete Instagram Video Supporting Jantar Mantar Protest

A student body at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has alleged that institute officials denied permission for a peaceful protest in support of students demonstrating against NEET-UG, UGC-NET and other examination irregularities. The group also claimed it was asked to delete an Instagram video expressing solidarity with the ongoing protests.

According to ChintaBAR, a recognised independent student body at IIT Madras, it had sought permission on July 20 to organise a peaceful gathering in support of students affected by paper leaks, exam cancellations and re-examinations. In its request, the group said the gathering would be peaceful, would not disrupt academic activities and would comply with institute rules.

A student associated with ChintaBAR alleged that during a meeting with Dean of Students Prof. Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi, the group was asked to remove an Instagram video posted on July 17 in support of students protesting in Delhi. Major Active Protests in India: Complete List and Demands.

"The dean asked us to take down the Instagram video we had posted on July 17 in support of protesting students in Delhi and denied permission for the gathering, stating that IIT Madras did not want to disturb and disrupt its relations with the central government over the ongoing student protests," the student alleged.

The student body said it later informed fellow students through WhatsApp groups that the video was being removed. The video reportedly showed IIT Madras students holding placards highlighting concerns over paper leaks and examination irregularities. Delhi Police Clarifies NSA Order, Says It Has No Link to CJP-Led Student Protests.

Another student alleged that officials told them they were "not allowed to protest" because it would "tarnish the image of IIT Madras."

A separate request by a group of BTech and MTech students to hold a peaceful protest on campus was also allegedly rejected. According to a WhatsApp message seen by Hindustan Times, the administration advised students to postpone the protest, prepare a list of demands on "accountability in education" and discuss them with the institute director instead.

The message also stated that institute representatives requested students to acknowledge IIT Madras' efforts to improve examination systems after concerns over the NEET paper leak and the CBSE examination process. IIT Madras experts had recently assisted CBSE in developing its On Screen Marking (OSM) portal and contributed to the Centre's data analytics report on NEET-UG 2024.

Despite not receiving official permission, more than 150 students reportedly gathered at Himalaya Lawns on the IIT Madras campus on Wednesday to express solidarity with students protesting in Delhi.

Hindustan Times reported that it reached out to IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, Dean of Students Prof. Gummadi and the students' general secretary for comment, but did not receive a response.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2026 03:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).