Hyderabad: After instructing students to use separate plates for non-vegetarian food in the hostel mess of IIT-Bombay, the institute has now banned non-veg food in the cafeteria too.
The circular released by the institute authorities tells students and mess authorities that non-veg is strictly banned and such items should also not be served in the cafeteria.
The institute took the decision after many vegetarian students in the institute raised objections.
The circular reads, “Some people raised objections over serving of non-veg food, including egg items.”
Apart from the non-veg food ban, the institute also instructed students not to indulge in unwanted parties and other gatherings in the cafeteria space in the late evenings.
The circular says, “No lunch and dinner party orders allowed for other departments and such services and orders are banned. Lunch services are also not permitted. The cafeteria authorities should provide the list of vegetarian items to a committee for a review, and no cooking is allowed in the cafeteria.”
Ram Kumar (name changed on request), a student of IIT-Bombay, said, “The cafeteria in civil engineering department is quite famous. A lot of students hang out here, mostly from the South and the North East who eat non-veg food every day. Earlier, non-veg dishes like chicken roll, chicken burger, omelette and others were served, but after few students raised issues with non-veg food, omelette was banned in the cafeteria. Now, they have banned non-veg food completely.
We are planning to complain to the dean of students’ affairs against the decision of the authorities. By imposing such restrictions, the administration is disrespecting others’ food habits.”
Talking on the condition of anonymity, another student told this newspaper, “Banning non-veg food, separation of tables and plates in some hostel messes and extra charge for non-veg food is bad. Things are getting worse on the campus by each passing day. Students need to speak up now.”
Authorities in IIT-Bombay and IIT-Hyderabad were contacted for comments but they did not respond.
