Nagpur, Feb 25 (UNI): A wave of protest swept through Indian Institute of Management Nagpur (IIM Nagpur) after close to 60 students chose to skip their mid-term examinations in solidarity with 40 first-year students who were barred from appearing for the tests over an alleged violation of campus rules, sources said.
According to sources, the controversy stems from an incident on the night of February 21, when nearly 75 students stepped out of the campus for dinner.
Students claim the outing was informal, with some describing it as a farewell gathering as their final classes were drawing to a close.
According to them, two campus clubs had informed authorities that the group would be returning late.
However, when the students returned in the early hours, they were reportedly stopped at the campus gate.
The following day, several first-year students received an email notifying them that they had been debarred from appearing in the MBA mid-term examinations scheduled for February 24 and 25.
Students argued that the action was disproportionate, particularly because mid-term examinations carry substantial weight in overall academic evaluation alongside end-semester assessments.
“We are postgraduate students enrolled in a professional programme. Treating us this way is unreasonable,” one student said, adding that late evenings on campus are common due to classes that sometimes extend until 11 pm.
Some students further alleged that the parents of certain female students were contacted by the administration and spoken to in an inappropriate manner.
When first-year students were informed that they would not be permitted to take the exams, senior students extended their support.
As a result, over 60 students collectively boycotted the mid-terms. A protest was also staged within the campus premises.
Students claimed that a few of those involved were suspended from the MBA programme and relieved of their positions of responsibility.
The issue also spilled onto social media, where some questioned whether such strict oversight amounted to “moral policing” in a professional institute in 2026.
Institute officials, however, maintained that the students had remained outside the campus throughout the night without securing prior approval.
According to the administration, entries in the outing register indicated “going home” rather than a formal request for permission from hostel or institutional authorities.
An official statement emphasised that campus regulations require students to inform and obtain approval before leaving, citing safety, well-being, and accountability as the primary reasons. Non-compliance with these procedures, the administration said, constitutes a serious breach of institutional rules.
Authorities later clarified that while the students were initially barred, they would be given an opportunity to appear for the examinations at a later date.
