IISER Pune students protest general secretary’s suspension, campus restrictions

The tipping point for the current unrest was the administration’s handling of the Aug 16 tragedy

Pune: Around 100 students of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune staged a protest on Thursday, voicing grievances against the suspension and hostel expulsion of the student body’s general secretary, alleged curbs on student agency, increasing restrictions on common spaces, and a lack of adequate mental health support. The protest follows the death of a female student on the campus on the night of Aug 16.

“Since no authority has come to speak with us or understand our grievances, we will continue this overnight,” said one student. The students began their demonstration with a march to the main gate on the Baner side, followed by a sit-in protest in the main building.

In response, IISER Pune stated that stricter implementation of hostel rules was necessary to prevent unauthorised entry after female residents in Hostel 3 raised safety concerns. The institute claimed that common areas on the ground floor remain accessible and that some spaces were converted into residential rooms to accommodate the Aug 2026 intake.

These spaces allow students from diverse backgrounds to develop a sense of community,” a student said. The administration said it is currently renovating the dining complex to create alternative co-working and social spaces. Our demands are clear: revoke the suspension of the general secretary of the student council, overhaul mental health support, roll back gender-based segregation, restore common spaces, and protect students’ right to peaceful protest by ensuring no disciplinary action is taken against them,” the student said.

“Common spaces in PhD hostels are fundamental to student life. They are used for group study, projects, club activities, and even dance practice. “We do not have an on-campus psychiatrist. We used to have a visiting psychiatrist, but that service is no longer available.