IIT Roorkee advised students against political activities and public statements without prior permission, citing existing conduct rules.
The institute clarified the email was a routine annual advisory, not a new directive or policy.
Mahua Moitra criticised the advisory, calling it an attack on students' constitutional rights to free speech and protest.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has advised its students not to participate in political discussions or activities or make public statements without prior permission from the institute.
In an email issued by the Registrar on July 20, the institute said it had noticed that "some of the campus inmates" had expressed their affinity with political movements on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
"It has been noticed on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc that some of the campus inmates (have) shown their affinity with political movements like the one currently, in public utterance and in public criticism," the email said.
The communication reminded students, employees and other stakeholders that IIT Roorkee admits students and appoints staff "to provide for instructions, research and for the advancement of learning, and dissemination of knowledge in engineering, technology, sciences and arts".
"It is engraved in the notified conduct rules that no student or employee will be allowed to join political discussion or participate in any political activity without prior permission for the institute or make any statement or opinion in any broadcast/telecast or in any print or electronic media in any public utterance which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the institute and the Central Government or any other Organisations or members of the public," it said.
Although the email came against the backdrop of the Jantar Mantar protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party, it did not mention the protests or the organisation by name.
On the same day, the institute posted on X that it "is committed to maintaining the distinction between personal expressions and official institutional communications".
"Any views or content shared by individuals in their personal capacity are their own and should not be interpreted as reflecting the position or endorsement of the Institute. Official communications of IIT Roorkee are issued only through its designated and authorised channels," the post said.
Later, IIT Roorkee media in-charge Sonika Srivastava said the communication was an internal advisory circulated among students, faculty and staff at the beginning 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 said.
Reacting to the email, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said on X that the institute is funded by the public.
"Don't you dare tell our kids to forego their constitutional right to free speech and protest. Retract this email and apologise," she posted.
