The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), a nearly century-old bastion of academic excellence, is confronting a potential existential crisis. In September, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025 for public feedback. Instead of welcoming it as a progressive step, the ISI community in Kolkata has launched a coordinated and forceful opposition.
The faculty, staff, and students collectively interpret the draft legislation not as a reform but as a calculated move to dismantle the very autonomy that has defined ISI's character for 94 years. This initial disquiet has now solidified into organized resistance, marking a significant moment in the institute's history.
A Unified Front Against Centralization
The resistance moved beyond internal discussions on Monday when the institute held its first-ever joint press conference. Representatives from the faculty, staff associations, and the students' council declared their intention to escalate the protest. They announced a public rally at Dunlop on November 28, aiming to draw nationwide attention to what they perceive as an unprecedented threat.
Crucially, the movement is no longer confined to the main campus in Kolkata. A concerted effort is underway to unite all of ISI's outlying centres in a collective institutional response. Faculty members report that the anxiety is widespread and deeply structural.
Arijit Bishnu, a faculty member at ISI Kolkata, emphasized this unity, stating that other centres are equally impacted and are beginning to voice their dissent. He warned that if the bill is implemented, smaller centres would "completely lose control over themselves," as their academic and administrative agency is swallowed by a centralized governance model.
Decoding the Draft ISI Bill 2025
The draft bill proposes a fundamental transformation of ISI's legal and operational framework. It seeks to replace the current society-based structure, governed by the 1959 Act, with a centrally supervised statutory body. The key provisions that have sparked the outcry include:
- A Powerful Board of Governance: Decision-making power for all academic, administrative, and financial matters would be concentrated in a new Board where government nominees hold a majority. Internal ISI representation would be limited to just three seats.
- Weakened Academic Council: The Academic Council, the heart of faculty-driven academic decisions, would be reduced to a recommendatory body. The Board would have the authority to accept, modify, or reject its proposals on courses, collaborations, and standards.
- Uncertain Future for Centres: The Board would gain the power to open, merge, relocate, or discontinue any of ISI's centres across India or abroad. The bill does not designate Kolkata as the permanent headquarters, making its central status fluid.
- Central Government Control: The appointment and performance review of the Director would be tied to the Central Government. Furthermore, the government would have broad powers to frame rules on service conditions and Board nominations.
What Kolkata Stands to Lose
For the flagship Kolkata campus, the changes are not merely administrative but foundational. The shift from a registered society to a statutory body corporate would end an era of self-governance. Kolkata's autonomy would be directly eroded as the new, government-heavy Board becomes the ultimate authority.
The very identity of Kolkata as the headquarters is thrown into question. The Board's power to shift the administrative hub means Delhi or Bengaluru could eventually become more prominent. Academically, Kolkata would lose its decisive role, with the Board holding veto power over recommendations from its own faculty.
Financially, while the bill encourages self-sufficiency, budgetary independence would be curtailed. Financial strategy would be centralised, and all accounts would be subject to a mandatory CAG audit, with reports submitted annually to the Centre.
In essence, the draft ISI Bill 2025 re-engineers the institute's DNA. It moves ISI Kolkata from a model of organic, internal consensus-building to a top-down, statute-driven framework where authority flows from a centrally appointed Board, fundamentally reshaping its future operations and identity.
