ISI students protest proposed bill changing institute's status

India Nov 28, 2025

Students and faculty at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata held a protest on Friday, protesting a draft Bill that would turn ISI from a registered society into a statutory body corporate.
The government says this move would modernize ISI's governance, making it more like IITs and IIMs—but many on campus aren't convinced.

Concerns over autonomy and central control

The proposed Bill introduces a new Board of Governance with strong Central government influence, giving the Centre more say in appointing ISI's director and even overriding academic decisions.
Critics worry this could seriously limit ISI's independence, with one petition calling for reforms under the existing 1959 Act instead of these sweeping changes.