IIM Jammu students threatened with ₹500 fine for missing ‘mandatory’ Modi birthday event

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu faced criticism from the Congress party after taking disciplinary action against students who missed a mandatory event celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17. The students' council imposed a disciplinary notice and a fine of ₹500 on those who missed the event.

The notice stated that students were marked absent from the deepak lighting ceremony on the specified date, despite it being mandatory. The students were asked to provide a written explanation for their absence, with medical grounds being the only acceptable reason for exemption. A reply was required by September 18, or else a fine of ₹500 would be imposed.

Congress national general secretary and in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Naseer Hussain, criticized the action, questioning whether attendance at Modi’s birthday celebration should be mandatory for students. He argued that educational institutions should foster independent thinking rather than forcing students to attend political events or threaten them with penalties.

Hussain stated that BJP's publicity stunts should be kept out of premier educational institutions. The IIM Jammu issued a statement denying the imposition of any fine, claiming the incident was being misrepresented and politicized. The spokesperson maintained that participation in such vocational and extra co-curricular activities contributes to students' holistic development.