ISI Kolkata Unites Against Proposed Bill Threatening Autonomy
Faculty members, staff, and students of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata have launched a significant protest against the draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025. They assert that the proposed legislation is a carefully planned move to strip the 94-year-old premier institute of its hard-earned autonomy.
Growing Discontent and Planned Agitation
Disquiet has been growing since the draft bill was opened for public consultation on September 25. This discontent culminated in the first joint press conference held on Monday, where the ISI Kolkata community announced its intention to involve other branches of the institute in a larger movement. As part of their escalating protests, they plan to organize a rally at Dunlop on November 28.
The institute had already formally sought the withdrawal of the draft bill during the ISI Society's AGM last week. Now, they are in active discussions with other ISI centres to launch a unified agitation program. Arijit Bishnu, a faculty member at ISI Kolkata, confirmed these efforts, stating, "We are talking to other centres. They are equally impacted by the draft bill, and we hope to get them onboard soon." He expressed a grave concern that if implemented, the bill would cause smaller centres to "completely lose control over themselves."
Key Concerns: Trifurcation and Government Control
The core fear among faculty and council members is that the bill, ironically aimed at granting more autonomy, could lead to the trifurcation of administrative control over the Kolkata, New Delhi, and Bengaluru centres. Currently, ISI is governed by the ISI Act of 1959, which vests authority in a council, with the central government holding powers of review, inspection, and temporary control under specific conditions.
The new bill is apprehended to shift these powers to a board of governors, which protesters fear would be "dominated by government nominees," thereby eroding the institute's independent decision-making.
Threat to Accessible Education and Lack of Consultation
Another major point of contention is the potential impact on the institute's legacy of affordable education. Faculty member Partha Pratim Majumdar highlighted that ISI is one of the rare institutions that charges zero tuition or admission fees, with nominal hostel costs and student stipends. He warned that the introduction of a "body corporate" in the administration could make education at ISI inaccessible to students from economically weaker backgrounds.
Majumdar also questioned the need for an entirely new act, pointing out that the fourth review committee had only suggested one or two amendments, primarily related to extending degrees and teaching programs, and never recommended repealing the existing 1959 Act.
Adding to the grievances, faculty member Kuntal Ghosh revealed that they were not consulted during the drafting of the bill. A mass petition has been sent to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. While there are unofficial indications that the ministry might review the draft, no official confirmation has been received.
