On February 17, 2025, the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) ordered all of its Nepali students studying there to immediately vacate their hostels after at least 100 Nepali students protested the university’s inaction regarding a student’s death.
On February 15, a female Nepali student was found dead in her hostel room due to suicide. The following evening, at least 100 Nepali students gathered at KIIT’sInternational Office to protest, accusing the university administration of failing to prevent the student’s death. During the demonstration, university administrators accused students of being disruptive and of blocking a main road for over 10 hours.
On February 17, the university registrar’s office announced that KIIT was “closed Sine Die for all the International students from Nepal” and ordered all 800 Nepali students to “vacate the university campuses immediately.” Administrators then quickly arranged for university buses to drive 500 Nepali students to a train station. No train tickets were issued to students. With the next train to Nepal due on February 20, many students were left stranded at the station.
On February 18, KIIT’s vice-chancellor, Saranjit Singh, issued a written apology to the students and encouraged students who had left campus to return.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the removal of students from university accommodation in retaliation for their exercise of the right to freedom of expression and assembly. While university authorities have an obligation to take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of students and university personnel and should endeavor to prevent disruptions that inappropriately inhibit the functioning of or access to higher education, they must do so consistent with their responsibility to ensure academic freedom and free expression on campus. The punishment of nonviolent student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/nepal-pm-intervenes-after-student-death-indian-university
https://kathmandupost.com/national/2025/02/18/india-university-makes-u-turn-after-evicting-nepalis-over-death-case?
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/extremely-appalled-kiit-v-c-apologises-to-nepali-students-sacks-2-officials-101739875842201.html
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-embassys-message-to-nepali-students-after-kiit-student-death-7736976
https://odishatv.in/news/odisha/bhubaneswar-kiit-university-forces-nepal-student-vacate-campus-to-cuttack-256081?
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=618650404135550&set=pcb.618657957468128