ISI students, staff to hold protest over Centre's move to 'snatch institute's autonomy'

Kolkata, Nov 25 (PTI) Students, research scholars, faculty, and other staff of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, have decided to launch protests against the Centre's alleged move to snatch its autonomy and change its character by introducing a bill.

ISI, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), is recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the 1959 ISI Act of Parliament.

The Centre is trying to repeal the 1959 ISI Act and floated a draft bill with no consultation with the ISI Society and stakeholders, the agitating students researchers faculty platform claimed in a statement.

They alleged it stems from the attempt to change ISI's character, which is embedded with the Bengal Renaissance values and upholds the vision of icons like Rabindranath Tagore, Brajendranath Seal, and most specifically, its founder Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.

"This relation resulted in the formation of NSSO, the second five-year plan, and the involvement of ISI in the nation-building process in various ways. Thus, ISI can be seen as an outcome of the contribution of the Bengal renaissance to the national cause," the statement read.

The draft bill is also silent on the issue of retaining Kolkata as the ISI headquarters or shifting it to somewhere else, the platform said.

"The ISI Society in its AGM held on November 18, 2025, has passed a resolution demanding withdrawal of the draft ISI Bill, 2025," spokesperson of the students researchers Abhas said.

"A mass petition, addressed to the minister of MoSPI, requesting the withdrawal of the draft ISI Bill, 2025, has been signed by eminent faculty, students, and ex-directors of ISI. The petition has been sent to Delhi, but the Centre is yet to reply," the students-researchers said.

To protest the Centre's alleged move, ISI faculty, workers and students will form a human chain from 4.30 pm to 7 pm on November 28, the statement said.

Besides, there will be a procession and street corner meeting, it said.

ISI is an internationally acclaimed autonomous institute, recognised for its contribution to the fields of statistics, mathematics, economics, and data sciences.

The Central government’s proposed move is believed to be an attempt to change the identity of ISI, they said.

Pointing out that opinion on the draft Bill had been sought only till November 3, 2025, the statement said it was a "hasty and inadequate move" on a matter of such significance.

"It is a legislative takeover of ISI, converting it from an autonomous society registered under the West Bengal Government to be a ‘statutory body corporate' under complete Union Government control — a move that erodes the federal balance enshrined in our Constitution," faculty member Kunal Ghosh said.

The students, researchers, and faculty are also networking with other ISI centres in the country. PTI SUS NN