Around 80 IIM Nagpur students boycott mid-term exams after classmates barred for overnight farewell party

First and second-year students of the Indian Institute of Management, Nagpur, launched a silent protest on campus and boycotted their third mid-term examinations after some classmates were barred from writing the exams following an overnight farewell party off campus. Around 80 students attended the farewell on Saturday night, February 21, and returned the next morning, claiming they were stopped and questioned by officials at the entry gate.

Late Monday night, first-year students received an email from the institute stating they were barred from all Term-3 mid-term examinations scheduled for February 24 and 25. The email cited "unauthorised absence" from campus, noting students left without prior permission or intimation to hostel authorities and remained outside throughout the night. It also stated that as part of disciplinary measures, students were asked to submit a signed authorisation and a no-objection letter from their parents. The email further announced suspension from the MBA programme and removal from positions of responsibility. No disciplinary action was mentioned against second-year students.

Student response and allegations

Nearly 400 students gathered at the director’s office in protest, alleging the punishment was too harsh. "Two clubs took permission while one didn't. Some of us may have violated hostel rules, but barring us from writing exams is unacceptable. A warning or a simple communication would have sufficed," a student said. Students also raised concerns over discriminatory conduct, claiming parents of girl students were specifically contacted, while parents of male students were not. "If parents had to be notified, it should have been done uniformly. Singling out girls and the tone used was inappropriate," another student said.

IIM-N rules and administration response

Students noted that late-night campus entry rules, revised from midnight to 10 pm, did not clearly define consequences for violations. The situation escalated in the absence of the institute’s director, Bhimaraya Metri, who was out of Nagpur when protests began and returned Tuesday evening.

A senior IIM-N official told TOI, "Some students had gone out after 10pm without prior permission, and as per existing rules, disciplinary action was initiated. Such measures are sometimes necessary to maintain discipline and ensure student safety, especially when students stay out overnight. This is not moral policing but enforcement of institutional regulations. The intent is to send a message on responsibility. The matter can be reviewed and appropriate steps will be taken after assessing the situation in detail."