‘Is it a joke?’: NIT professor halts students’ ‘Chikni Chameli’ performance

A debate has erupted over the appropriateness of college stage performances after a professor halted a student dance during an induction program at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Durgapur on August 22. The incident, reported by The Times of India, took place during the institute's 2026 induction program, featuring students dancing to Bollywood hits like 'Chikni Chameli', 'Baby Doll', and 'Sheila Ki Jawani'.

The video shows students dancing on stage, with their peers cheering, when a professor enters and questions whether they had received approval from their faculty advisers. The professor expressed concerns about the performance taking place in front of junior students and the absence of their faculty adviser. She questioned the students, asking if the performance was a joke or an introduction, and if it had been approved.

The students were forced to stop their performance, causing the auditorium to fall silent. Online reactions to the video have been mixed, with some supporting the professor's concerns about maintaining decorum during an induction program, while others criticized the professor's approach for singling out the students and questioned the appropriateness of such policing.

Some users defended the professor's stance, arguing that different settings have different decorum expectations, while others acknowledged the appropriateness of the professor's concerns while noting the choice of song and setting might be questionable.