IIT Patna takes cognisance of purported anti-quota remarks attributed to registrar amid uproar

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna director Amit Patra has said the institute has taken cognisance of anti-quota remarks purportedly made in a social media post attributed to the registrar and dean (administration), Awalendra Kumar Thakur, and escalated the matter to the “higher authorities” amid an uproar.

“The matter is currently under consideration by the higher authorities, and we are acting in accordance with their guidance. Appropriate updates will be shared publicly at the right time,” Patra said in an email response to HT.

Thakur denied having made the post. He dismissed the controversy as a calculated smear campaign driven by synthetic media. Thakur maintained that fabricated and doctored screenshots were being deliberately circulated to tarnish his professional standing.

“Artificial intelligence has been misused to defame me,” Thakur said. He insisted he never authored or shared any statements questioning affirmative action. He added that he intends to take legal recourse and register a First Information Report (FIR).

The premier engineering institute has previously lodged two separate FIRs over similar attempts to malign its reputation.

The social media post attributed to Thakur argued that the Union government must review reservation policies. It argued that reservation was originally intended for a 10-year duration and had since deteriorated into a political “vote bank” instrument detrimental to India’s youth and national progress.

The post sparked disquiet on the IIT campus. Some faculty members flagged a potential conflict of interest given Thakur’s administrative portfolio overseeing statutory quota compliance.

“Public anti-reservation views coming from an official tasked with enforcing affirmative action severely compromise institutional trust,” said a faculty member on condition of anonymity.

Anil Wagde, a rights activist and founding member of the IIM Alumni Global Network, submitted a complaint to IIT Patna Board of Governors chairman TV Narendran and Patra, terming Thakur’s purported remarks derogatory toward marginalised communities. He demanded a probe and criminal proceedings under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.