ISI Director Addresses Relocation Concerns Amid Bill Controversy
Kolkata: Amid ongoing controversies surrounding the potential relocation of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) headquarters from Kolkata, as proposed in the ISI Bill, 2025, the institute's officiating director, Ayanendranath Basu, addressed the issue on Tuesday. He emphasized that centers in other locations, such as Delhi and Bengaluru, have not yet achieved the "critical strength to function as independent centers."
Critical Strength for Independence
During his speech at the 60th convocation of ISI, Basu elaborated on the requirements for center autonomy. "A centre needs a critical strength to be an independent one. I think our centres are yet to achieve that strength," he stated. He further noted that even the larger centers occasionally require support from the headquarters to run courses successfully. "They will need some upgrade to become viable and independent centres," Basu added, highlighting the need for a continuous development plan before considering autonomy.
Protests and Student Demonstrations
While the Bill does not explicitly mention the Kolkata center as the headquarters, it has sparked significant opposition from faculty members and students who fear efforts to shift it out of Kolkata. During the convocation, a section of students wore badges to protest against the proposed Bill. As they approached the stage to receive their degrees, a faculty member intervened, asking them to remove the badges before proceeding.
Avijeet Ghosh, a PhD awardee, explained the rationale behind the protest. "We wanted to protest against the Bill that plans to snatch away autonomy from the Kolkata centre and shift the headquarters out of here," he said. Ghosh also criticized the Bill for attempting to destroy the democratic structure of the institute, which he believes has been crucial to its excellence. Although students were forced to remove the badges on stage, they promptly put them back after descending from the dais.
Faculty Support and Broader Concerns
Ghosh mentioned that faculty members have also staged street protests against the Bill, underscoring a collective responsibility to protect the institute's sanctity. Basu later commented on the proposed changes to the board of governors, describing it as a significant departure from the current structure. "We have always paid a lot of preference to opinions from within the institute. This proposal makes the governing structure more like those at the IITs and IIMs," he said, noting that the ongoing debate focuses on identifying the best model for the institute's future.
Multi-Locational Existence and Future Plans
Basu also touched upon the concept of a "multi-locational existence" for ISI, suggesting that while independence or autonomy for centers might be considered in the future, a strategic plan is essential for their development beforehand. The controversy highlights deep-seated concerns about preserving ISI's legacy and operational integrity amidst proposed legislative changes.
