Mumbai: Students object to IIT-B’s tie-up with Israeli university

IIT Bombay. File pic

A group of students from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has voiced strong opposition to the institution's recent collaboration with Bar-Ilan University in Israel, following the announcement of a webinar on funded research opportunities in chemistry for Masters, PhD, and Postdoctoral candidates. The students who are part of the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a students collective at IIT-B, have openly condemned the administration's decision to engage in academic partnerships with Israeli universities, citing the ongoing violence against Palestinians.

In an official communication sent by IIT Bombay's General Secretary of Academic Affairs (PG), the students were invited to attend a free webinar hosted by Bar-Ilan University-Israel, to explore research prospects. However, this move has drawn criticism from student activists in the campus who argue that the collaboration is inconsistent with the institution's values of human rights and justice.

Expressing their disappointment at the collaboration, APPSC stated, "Despite the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by Israel, it's concerning to see the IIT Bombay administration continuing collaborations with Israeli universities. We must stand against injustice and ensure that our partnerships align with our values of human rights for all."

The students are calling on the administration to reconsider its partnerships and to align itself with global movements that oppose oppression and violence. They argue that by collaborating with Israeli educational institutions, IIT Bombay is indirectly endorsing the actions of the Israeli government, which they believe contradicts the principles of human rights.

The controversy comes at a time when international academic institutions are being scrutinized for their global partnerships, particularly with countries engaged in ongoing conflicts. IIT Bombay, known for its academic excellence, is now facing growing pressure from its student body to evaluate the ethical implications of its international collaborations.

The group has written to the General Secretary of Academic Affairs at IIT B, they have urged the administration to adopt a stance of solidarity with oppressed communities and to ensure that future partnerships reflect the institute's commitment to social justice and human rights. "Students are calling for the reconsideration and divestment from any collaborations or exchanges with Israeli universities, especially in light of the International Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) and the International Court of Justice (@CIJ_ICJ) deeming Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank as illegal and genocidal war crimes," the group has posted on social media platform X.

The IIT Bombay administration has yet to issue an official response regarding the students' demands, but the situation has sparked a broader conversation in the campus on the role of academic institutions in addressing global conflicts and human rights issues.