Skip to main content

IIM-Indore students anonymously compain: Authorities ignore their Covid concern

 
An email alert received by me from a 2020 batch alum of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Indore has forwarded a mail received by this person regarding "concerns of the current students towards the top business institute's Indore branch's authorities' alleged "disregard" towards the management of the Covid-19-related situation on-campus.
The email alert states, "I am writing this to you on behalf of students who do not wish to disclose their names fearing administrative action. I request you to respect their and my request for complete  anonymity in this disclosure." This is what the e-mail alert says:

***
This disclosure is with reference to the "The Ken" article that highlights the abuse of administrative power in the midst of a covid-19 outbreak at IIM Indore.
I am writing this to bring to light the present conditions and abuse of administrative power that is happening at IIM Indore in the midst of a Covid-19 outbreak on the campus that is being denied by the administration in a bid to ensure that online examinations do not have to be conducted.
A) Instance 1: The end-term examinations for PGP-1 were scheduled for the period 25th March - 2nd April. On 26th March a batch email was sent to the PGP 1 batch that stated that all exams of PGP-1 were going to abruptly conclude on the 31st of March (this entailed a sudden change of schedule whereby there were 2 end term exams scheduled on each day). This email was sent soon after there 
were reports of students testing positive on campus. The administration continues to falsely deny the occurrence of the Covid-19 outbreak on campus.
B) Instance 2: Over the course of the past few days, nearly 50-60+ students reported symptoms - fever, cough, running nose - etc. These students have been quarantined basis their symptoms and the institute has taken little to no effort to conduct contact tracing. Furthermore, many of these students who had symptoms were present in several packed exam halls during the start of the end-term examinations. The institute has taken no steps to ensure contact tracing of other exam writing participants.
C) Instance 3: In certain instances, students who had been shifted to quarantine were not provided with online examination links and as such these students were forced to walk out of their quarantine blocks to answer the examinations and then were asked to return to their quarantine block post writing the examination.
D) Instance 4: 
There are several instances where students in quarantine who have been showing symptoms have asked for Covid-19 tests and the administration has outrightly refused to offer Covid-19 tests to them. When some students and their parents contacted the college administration, the administration replied by saying that the students are young, and hence even if they get infected, nothing will happen to them.
E) Instance 5: The PGP-1 batch was sent a forwarded email which stated that due to the "present circumstance" in Indore city, it is not possible to get lab technicians to the college to conduct any tests for people who want themselves to get tested. Some students then asked for names of labs that had supposedly declined to come to campus and if it was possible to bring a government lab technician to campus. To this, there has been no response or clarification.
F) Instance 6: On 12th March, the PGP-1 batch was sent an email stating that weekly excursions to any place outside the campus would be banned and that if any student were to visit any place outside campus that they would be required to be quarantined for 5 days upon their return to campus. Immediately after this email was sent, the Placement Committee of IIM Indore, along with the Director and other members of college administration went out of campus to a restaurant, following which they returned to campus and are visible in a group photo where no one is wearing masks or practising social distancing. None of these people (students or Director or administration) who went out, were quarantined upon arrival. Following this, there were Placement Committee members who were quarantined due to symptoms, and some of them have tested positive as well.
Throughout the entire duration of the past few days, the administration of the college has been completely opaque in their communication and has not replied to any public student query emails. At the same time, the college refuses to contact trace or even allow students to get tested citing 'non-availability of technicians. The college still maintains an official stance stating that only 4 students are positive, whereas the reality is very much different.
In communication with certain members of the student bodies, the administration has said that they will not care about what the students have to say since they know what they are doing is correct.

Comments

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.