‘SFI unit in IIT-Kgp’

Significantly,IITs debar formation of student unions affiliated to political parties.

Confirming SFI’s entry into the IIT,Ritabrata Banerjee,general secretary,All India SFI,said: “This is the first time any student organisation has been able get the students of an IIT enrolled with the organisation. We are in the process of enrolling more.”

Banerjee said they are running the unit “under cover”. “It is not the right time to bring our organisation in the open. But we have decided to announce about our entry to the IIT after our party conference,” he added.

Banerjee admitted that due to “stringent rules and regulations” of the IIT,the SFI has not yet been able to open an SFI office in the campus. “Though we have not yet been able to set up any unit physically in the IIT,we are working on it. We are also trying to make inroads into other IITs as well,” said Banerjee.

The SFI’s “entry” into country’s premier institute has created ripples in the political and academic corridors. The IIT-Kharagpur authorities and the student administration of the institute,however,denied any knowledge of the SFI’s entry into the campus.

“Till now we do not have any knowledge of our students enrolling with the SFI. We will look into the matter. However,our students do not participate in any political student organisation. We have an apolitical student’s body and that is elected every year,” said T K Ghoshal,Registrar,IIT-Kharagpur.

A senior professor on the condition of anonymity said though there has been no sign of any SFI activity inside the campus,several apolitical organisations of students have started mushrooming. “We are not sure if the SFI is making entry in the garb of an apolitical organisation. However,if any student is caught having membership with SFI,stringent action will be taken against him,” said the professor.