The notice sent to the hostel residents of IITR for missing yoga camp. 

While some IITs are struggling with fund being slashed, setting up of new campus, dealing with admissions for next academic year, IIT Roorkee students have something really bizarre to deal with – Disciplinary actions and fines for not attending yoga camps.

Students who chose to stay put at IIT Roorkee for their summer break were made to sign up for a compulsory yoga camp for a month. Students are supposed to attend the Yoga camp every single day starting at 6 a.m. Those students who chose the comfort of their beds, were threatened with a fine of Rs.700/- and an additional 15 days of yoga. An assistant warden of a certain hostel sent a notice across to students notifying them along with a list of ‘defaulters’.

“Why should it be made compulsory and on what grounds does an Assistant Warden of a hostel direct the students?” fumed a student in the third year at IIT Roorkee. The notice sent to the students has no signatures or stamp of the Dean of Students Welfare (DoSW) or the Chief Warden. Another student in his final year added, “As per the supervisor of hostels, a list of students who have defaulted in attending the yoga camp has been given to the DoSW. I was told that some sort of disciplinary action will be taken against us.”

A student who recently graduated from IIT Roorkee claims that Assistant Wardens have hardly any powers in these matters. “It is highly unlikely that there will be any action, but the fact is that amidst all the other things that are happening, not attending Yoga Camp is the most important of all at IIT Roorkee,” he said.

A professor at IIT Roorkee said, “This is for the benefit of students. The step taken by the assistant warden is to develop some discipline among students. There is nothing wrong as such. We are yet to decide what has to be done about the defaulting students.”