The Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) has suspended a research scholar for “defaming the institution” four months after he took to social media to question the credibility of the joint entrance examination (JEE).
Vikrant Singh had on October 29, 2020, posted on Facebook his reaction to the arrest of a JEE (Mains) topper from Assam for using a proxy to write the exam. He said the “problem of proxy isn’t a new thing” and that the IITs have “acted in vague and sad manner” against teachers who have called out instances of corruption earlier.
He mentioned former IIT-Kharagpur teacher Rajeev Kumar who had campaigned to reform the JEE process, and Brijesh Rai of IIT-G who was given “compulsory retirement” for alleging corruption in the entry process.
The IIT-G said Mr. Singh had collaborated with Dr. Rai, his former supervisor, in twisting facts about the institution “to disrupt the academic activities of the institute”. In a statement, it said Mr. Singh has been kept in “suspended academic expulsion” from March 10 until July 27.
The IIT-G said the students’ disciplinary committee took the decision on the research scholar after several deliberations. The institute also found fault with Mr. Singh for sharing his suspension notice with the media instead of appealing against it within the system.
Mr. Singh accused the IIT-G authorities of lying and said the suspension was an assault on his freedom of expression.
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