The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has clarified that an advisory circulated among members of the institute is not a new directive or policy, following criticism on social media over claims that students had been asked not to support ongoing student protests online.The clarification was issued on July 21, 2026, after the advisory triggered public discussion. According to the institute, the communication is a routine internal advisory shared with students, faculty and staff at the beginning of every academic session and is based on the institute’s existing notified conduct rules. Institute issues clarificationIn an official statement issued by the IIT Roorkee Media Cell, the institute said the communication being referred to was part of its regular practice and should not be viewed as introducing any fresh policy.The statement said, “The communication being referred to is an internal advisory circulated among students, faculty, and staff at the commencement of each academic session. Similar advisories are routinely issued every year in accordance with the Institute’s existing notified conduct rules and do not constitute any new directive or policy. The communication should not be misinterpreted or viewed out of context.” The statement was issued by Sonika Srivastava, Media Cell Incharge, IIT Roorkee.
IIT Roorkee clarifies advisory amid social media row, says communication is not a new policy
Advisory drew attention on social mediaThe clarification came after the advisory attracted attention on social media, where it was interpreted by some users as a fresh instruction asking students not to support ongoing student protests through their personal social media accounts. The institute responded by stating that the advisory was not newly introduced and was consistent with existing institutional conduct rules that are communicated at the start of each academic session. IIT Roorkee did not announce any modification to its conduct rules in the clarification. Instead, it reiterated that the advisory forms part of its standard communication process and should be read in its proper context.
