Campus Talk: IIT Bombay senior PhD students worried over finding accommodation, stir continues
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Gaurav (name changed), a research student at Humanities and Social Science (HSS) department at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, is planning to go back to his hometown in interiors of Maharashtra, after the institute has asked him to vacate the hostel because he has completed 6 years of research.
He is of the many research students sailing in the same boat who know that finding an affordable accommodation outside of campus is next to impossible in the locality.
“My PhD is in social science and in its last leg where I mostly have to focus on completion of writing; I can do this back home. And can come back to submit. But for students pursuing research in engineering branches, it is impossible, because lab support is crucial to their research,” he said.
Last week, the institute administration asked all five-year PhD students to shift to shared hostel rooms from their single occupancy accommodation; all those who have completed 6 years of research are asked to move out of the campus by December 10.
Research fellowship of these students has already stopped after five years, making it more difficult for them to survive now in the city, especially out of campus.
Since November 23, the students, holding placards, have been on a silent protest mode on the campus. After a three-day holiday, the students gathered outside the main building on the campus on Tuesday evening to resume their strike.
A research student from electrical engineering, who has completed six years, on condition of anonymity, said, “There are multiple external factors in research which are beyond our control such as upgraded machinery, success of experiments, publication of research papers among all. One parameter that fits all can’t be practical here.”
Considering that the laboratory is essential for his experiments, this student now has to find an accommodation outside of the campus. “It is impossible for me to find affordable accommodation in Powai. Staying somewhere far in the suburbs means spending significant time and energy commuting, at a crucial junction of my research,” the student pointed out.
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As most of these students are almost nearing the end of their research, one of them from the engineering branch, said, “Regular trend shows that a student takes an average of 6-6.5 years to complete the research. But due to Covid-19 pandemic, many students from my batch are lagging behind as we have practically lost two crucial years due to lockdown limitations.”
While the administration has stated that it is only implementing the existing regulation, the students claimed that the regulation never included asking the students to move out of the campus.
A researcher shared that when he took admission in 2019, the rule was that researchers will be accommodated in double occupancy hostel rooms in their first year, whereas a single occupancy room will be allotted for the next four years.
“After the completion of five years, the students were again asked to shift back to shared hostel rooms and there was no limitation on the duration of such stay, as most of the candidates would complete their study in a year or so. I was among those who were asked to shift to a shared room last year, after completing five years. But now all those who completed six years are asked to move out,” he said.
Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra.
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