IIT KGP teacher apologises, institute forms probe committee

NEW DELHI: Days after videos of Seema Singh, a teacher at the Indian Institute of Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) abusing students went viral, the institute has formed a committee to probe the matter. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has also taken note of the issue and decided to investigate.

In a notice served to the chief secretary of West Bengal Government, the secretary of the department of higher education, West Bengal’s director general of police, and director of IIT Kharagpur on April 27, the NCSC has sought a report within 15 days failing which they may be summoned to appear before the commission.

“We are taking the matter seriously. A committee has been formed to investigate the matter. So far, we have not received the report,” said Tamal Nath, registrar, IIT Kharagpur told Careers360.

After the incident came to light, Seema Singh has also written an apology letter for her “unintended words” on Tuesday. Singh expressed her regret for going “overboard” under the stress of being COVID-19 positive and social isolation.

“It was never my intention to hurt anyone, especially my own students who are as dear to me as my own children. It was never my intention to be discriminatory towards any segment of the student community,” Singh wrote.

The viral video has enraged students and youth far beyond the IIT KGP campus and the apology letter, coming as it did as an official action seemed imminent, has not been received well. In one of the videos, the teacher can be heard challenging the students to complain to the ministry of minority affairs and SC, ST ministries.

National Commission for SC takes action

The NCSC took a suo moto cognisance of the “use of unparliamentary language and casteist remarks” made by Singh.

The commission has decided to investigate the matter under Article 338 of the Indian Constitution. The institute has been directed to furnish a report of actions taken within 15 days.

Vijay Sampla, chairman of the commission, also condemned the incident and asked the director of IIT KGP and the Union education ministry to take immediate action.

आईआईटी खड़गपुर की घटना बहुत दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है जिन्होंने शिक्षा देनी है वही अशिक्षित है| किसी योग शिक्षक को ही SC-ST के विद्यार्थियों की जिमेवारी देनी चाहिए| @IITKgp @tewari_virendra और @EduMinOfIndia तुरन्त कारवाई करे और जानकारी @NCSC_GoI को दें |@TCGEHLOT @SubhashPardhi6

— Vijay Sampla (@thevijaysampla) April 27, 2021

Since Monday, more students have come up on social media narrating various accounts where Singh has allegedly bullied scholars and students irrespective of their caste at the institute.

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