IISER students’ protest continues in Pune

Students at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune have entered the fourth day of protests, calling for sweeping changes to the institute’s mental health services, hostel regulations and disciplinary framework following the death of a third-year BS-MS student on August 16, 2026.

The demonstrations, now in their fourth consecutive day as of Sunday, August 30, 2026, center on five core demands: a comprehensive overhaul of mental health infrastructure, removal of what students describe as restrictive gender-based hostel rules, equitable access to campus amenities, guarantees against punitive action for peaceful assembly, and the reinstatement of suspended student leader Raj Bagwe, who serves as the institute’s general secretary.

Protesters have stated that they will maintain the sit-in until the institute’s director, Sunil S Bhagwat, agrees to an open, recorded meeting to address their grievances. According to students, Bagwe was suspended after he sent an email raising concerns about an alleged sexual harassment incident on campus, prompting disciplinary proceedings that culminated in his removal from both his elected position and the institute.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has publicly endorsed the protesters, echoing calls for Bagwe’s reinstatement, improved mental health resources and uninhibited rights to dissent. In a formal statement, the SFI Central Executive Committee emphasized the need to revoke Bagwe’s suspension and restore his right to uninterrupted education. The committee also highlighted what it termed structural negligence within the administration, citing a growing number of student suicides and mental health crises. It demanded the immediate appointment of ten permanent counsellors and five psychiatrists to address these concerns.

SFI further condemned gender-based restrictions within hostels, arguing that they violate constitutional principles and restrict student mobility. “Most importantly, the students must have the right to register their dissent peacefully without the threat of disciplinary action,” the committee stated.

IISER Pune acknowledged in an official release that a female student was discovered seriously injured outside a hostel building on August 16 at approximately 9:45 p.m. She was transported to hospital via institute ambulance, and the institute notified both her parents and local police. Despite prompt medical intervention, the student did not survive.

The institute has maintained that no link exists between the student’s death and the suspension of Raj Bagwe, which followed a separate incident reported in May. IISER stated that all prescribed disciplinary procedures were followed in Bagwe’s case. The institute also affirmed that students may hold peaceful protests with prior permission and that no disciplinary measures would be taken against participants in the ongoing sit-in.

In response to the ongoing unrest, IISER cancelled classes for the day following the incident and indicated that academic accommodations and flexible attendance policies would be made available to affected students. The institute currently employs two full-time counsellors, with two additional counsellors provided by the campus Mental Wellbeing Centre. Plans are underway to hire one or two more full-time counsellors to bolster mental health support services.

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