From bag checks to bowing instructions, Modi’s IIT Delhi visit draws criticism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended IIT Delhi’s convocation on Saturday amid tight security and complaints from students that the arrangements had disrupted academic work, restricted movement and inconvenienced graduates and their families.

The visit marked Modi’s first face-to-face interaction with a large gathering of young people following the recent student-led protests at Jantar Mantar. More than 3,000 students were due to receive degrees at the ceremony, with the Prime Minister presenting gold medals to nine of them.

The Telegraph reported that police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the campus, while barricades and metal detectors were installed at several locations. Students alleged that repeated identity checks and searches had made it difficult to move freely even within the institute.

One student said bags were being thoroughly checked whenever hostel residents left or returned, including when they had not gone beyond the campus.

Security protocols issued by the institute barred mobile phones, bags, remote-operated devices and other restricted articles from Dogra Hall, where the convocation was held, and the Main Building. Temporary cloakrooms were established at designated locations.

Students and visiting parents were also prohibited from carrying bags, water bottles and umbrellas into the venue. Some graduates said the restrictions created uncertainty over where their parents could wait during the first half of the programme, when they were not permitted inside.

A student receiving her degree said the ceremony had been reorganised around the Prime Minister’s schedule, leaving some families unable to watch the degree distribution. Several parents had reportedly booked return journeys based on the convocation’s usual timetable, under which degrees are presented during the first half.

Modi arrived for the morning session and addressed the gathering before leaving ahead of the second half, during which most students were to receive their degrees from other dignitaries.

Vedic mantras were scheduled to be recited three times during the programme, including once in the Prime Minister’s presence. Students said they had been instructed to stand during the chants and were given directions on how to bow while receiving medals from Modi.

Several campus facilities were temporarily closed as part of the security arrangements. These included the Central Library, MSB Computer Centre and laboratories, while retail outlets on the campus and the nearby Neelkanth Market were directed to remain shut until Saturday afternoon.

Two master’s students and a doctoral scholar described the security checks as excessive. One of them alleged that students returning to the campus at night had been questioned about why they had gone out, what they had been doing and why they were returning late, even after showing digital copies of their identity cards.

A faculty member linked the visit to the government’s efforts to engage with younger citizens following the recent protests. The faculty member noted that confirmation of Modi’s attendance came around the time the Prime Minister released his first Instagram video addressing Gen Z.

Some students also alleged that the programme was intended to improve the Centre’s image following protests over issues affecting young people across the country.

Modi had previously participated virtually in IIT Delhi’s convocation in 2020. According to sources, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed his attendance at this year’s ceremony more than a month after receiving the institute’s invitation.

IIT Delhi director Rangan Banerjee was approached for the institute’s response to the concerns raised by students over the security restrictions. His response was awaited.