The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur has banned approximately 70-75 first-year MBA students from sitting for their mid-term exams for attending a pool party at a resort without taking prior permission from the institute.
According to sources, the students were punished for violating hostel and campus rules. The mid-term exams for first-year students started from February 24, while the final exams for second-year students were scheduled to take place from February 25.
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According to sources, the incident occurred on February 14, when approximately 70-75 students from the first and second-year MBA courses visited a resort to attend a farewell pool party organized by student clubs for the outgoing batch. The students stayed overnight at the resort and returned to campus the next morning, when they were intercepted at the main gate by the authorities.
Silent protest, clarification by administration
The administration sent an email to first-year students on Monday night, stating that they would not be permitted to take their mid-term exams as a form of punishment.
This led to a silent protest on campus, where close to 400 students from both batches participated, warning that they would boycott exams if the decision was not reversed. The protest was eventually withdrawn following a statement by the administration that the decision would only affect first-year students who had participated in the event without permission.
The institute later announced that second-year students would be permitted to take their final exams. The administration also stated that first-year students who had obtained prior permission would not be penalised. Mid-term exams for first-year students will be held at a later date.
Parents are informed, students question selective communication
In another development, the institute has reached out to the parents of female students who attended the event, informing them that the hostel rules had been violated and that the students had stayed out overnight. This has been questioned by some students, who asked why only the parents of female students had been contacted.
According to campus rules, all MBA students are required to stay in campus and are not allowed to leave campus after 10 pm or stay out overnight without prior permission from the institute. According to the institute, some students have been recorded in the movement register as traveling home but ended up attending the resort event.
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The institute has asked for a No Objection Certificate in some cases and has stated that temporary suspension of studies may be imposed if necessary.
Students are aware of the hostel and campus rules, and discipline must be maintained, according to officials. While students will be held accountable for their actions, the institute will ensure that students do not suffer any long-term academic damage.
