u/Glittering_Brief_636

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I am writing this for the safety of current students and, more importantly, for anyone considering joining IGIDR for their Master's or PhD.

There is a side of this institute that prospective students and parents are unlikely to hear about. Parents send their children to a residential institute assuming that the campus will provide a reasonably safe environment.

But based on incidents that students have experienced and discussed over the past several months, women's safety at IGIDR has become a serious concern.

Allegedly there have reportedly been incidents involving threats of deepfake images, disturbing and potentially life-threatening messages, harassment and intimidation. There are also people on campus who repeatedly stare at girls and make them uncomfortable, including, according to students, some workers.

And then there is the ICC.

What is the point of having an Internal Complaints Committee if students don't feel protected when they approach it?

There have been complaints where students felt that instead of simply being supported and allowing the matter to be properly investigated, allegedly they were questioned or victim-blamed in ways that made them feel responsible for what happened to them.

That is not how a student safety mechanism is supposed to work.

There are also recurring concerns about PhD scholars and TAs allegedly sending vulgar or inappropriate messages to junior female students.

This isn't some harmless "senior-junior interaction."

There is an obvious power imbalance when someone in a position of academic seniority approaches a junior student inappropriately.

And what happens when you reject or ignore them?

Students have raised concerns about retaliation through academic interactions, examination-related work, evaluation, or other institutional processes.

If a student has to think, "What if this person takes revenge on me academically if I reject them?", then something is fundamentally broken.

The most disturbing matter currently being discussed by students concerns an allegation of molestation involving the Dean.

Let me be absolutely clear: an allegation is not proof of guilt, and I am not claiming that the allegation has been established. There is reportedly an ongoing process, and the facts should be determined through a proper investigation.

But the concerns surrounding the handling of the complaint are extremely serious.

Students have reportedly said that the complainant was asked to withdraw the complaint while the matter was still being considered. These are not the definitive statement/ verdict so you can consider this with a grain of salt but even if 1% of this is proven to be the truth then it's a huge concern and it needs to be stated. It has also been communicated that the accused is currently on medical leave.

If an investigation is ongoing, students obviously cannot demand that confidential details be publicly disclosed.

But students can demand a system in which complaints (especially complaints involving people in positions of authority) are handled independently, fairly and without pressure on the complainant.

Because otherwise, what message are you sending to every woman on this campus?

"Don't complain. Nothing will happen."

And this is exactly why I am writing this.

The problem is bigger than one person or one incident.

It is about an institutional culture where reputation can appear to take precedence over student safety.

It is about students being afraid to complain.

It is about people accused of serious misconduct continuing to be present around students while the process is ongoing, without the student community knowing what safety measures are being taken.

It is about junior students having to think twice before rejecting someone senior.

It is about women wondering whether reporting harassment will create more problems for them than staying silent.

And honestly, having an ICC on paper means absolutely nothing if students cannot trust it.

This isn't about destroying IGIDR's reputation.

If anything, pretending these problems don't exist is far more damaging. Trying to subdue the voice of the victims just to protect the reputation by making the issue not public is very short sighted because by doing that you are indirectly encouraging predatory behaviours and if such incidents increases in future it will only leave more negative impression on the students about the institute.

An institution's reputation should come from how it protects its students—not from how effectively it keeps uncomfortable incidents out of public discussion.

To current students, especially women

Please be careful.

Do not assume that because you are inside an academic institution, everyone around you has good intentions.

Keep screenshots. Save messages. Document incidents. Tell people you trust. Don't let anyone convince you that harassment is "not a big deal."

And if something serious happens, don't isolate yourself.

To prospective students and parents

Please don't look only at placements, packages, professors, rankings and academics.

Ask about student safety.

Ask about the ICC.

Ask how complaints are handled.

Ask what protection exists against retaliation.

Ask what happens when the person complained against is someone senior or powerful within the institution.

And most importantly, ask current students—not just the administration.

Because there is a side of an institution that you will never see on its website, placement brochure or admission presentation.

This is that side.

I am writing this because students deserve to know what they are walking into.

No academic degree, placement package or institutional reputation is more important than someone's safety.

Stay safe. Look out for each other. And please don't let anyone convince you that staying silent is the price you have to pay for studying here.

I have deliberately not named individuals or disclosed identifying details of complainants. Allegations mentioned above should not be treated as established findings of guilt. The purpose of this post is to raise concerns about student safety and the institutional mechanisms available to students.

*****my qualifications