India’s relentless pursuit of productivity is once again under intense scrutiny, this time originating from the venerable halls of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. A firestorm has erupted within its Department of Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE) following the implementation of a rigorous new attendance and parking policy.
While the department champions these measures as essential for “transparency, discipline, and accountability,” the campus echoes with student protests labeling them “oppressive, unrealistic, and detrimental to mental well-being.” This direct confrontation between institutional control and academic autonomy has brought to the forefront a critical national inquiry: is India mistakenly equating dedication with sheer exhaustion?
Delving into the Controversial Policy
Unveiled this month, the new policy meticulously outlines minimum working hours for all personnel, from faculty and staff to MTech and PhD scholars. Departmental mandates now require permanent and contractual staff to log 40 work hours weekly, exclusive of lunch breaks.
For students, the demands are notably higher. MTech and first-year PhD candidates must now commit to a minimum of 50 hours on campus each week. However, the most contentious provision affects senior PhD scholars, who are expected to mirror their supervisors’ demanding schedules, often stretching between 70 and 80 hours per week.
Further intensifying the pressure, students utilizing central research facilities such as the National Nanofabrication Centre (NNFC), Micro and Nano Characterisation Facility (MNCF), or IISc Microscopy Facility are required to document their time separately. Any request for remote work due to medical or personal reasons must be formally submitted with documentation and approved.
From the department’s perspective, these rules aim to standardize work and enhance accountability. Yet, students perceive it as an intrusive surveillance system that prioritizes physical presence over actual intellectual contribution.
A Reflection of India’s Wider Work Culture
The ongoing dispute at IISc is not an isolated incident; it reflects a prevalent cultural shift across India’s professional and academic spheres that champions ceaseless work while sidelining the vital importance of rest. This campus uproar follows closely on the heels of a Bengaluru start-up founder’s widely publicized assertion that young professionals should dedicate “60–80 hours a week” to achieve success.
What originated as a corporate ethos is now permeating academic institutions, establishments traditionally designed to foster intellectual freedom. Research, which thrives on curiosity, deep reflection, and unrestrained exploration, now risks being reduced to a mere mechanical logging of hours.
The peril extends beyond just overwork; it threatens the very essence of purpose. When academic excellence becomes tethered to timesheets, creativity inevitably wanes. The noble pursuit of discovery transforms into a performance metric, compelling students, once encouraged to think freely, to now merely demonstrate that they are present and ‘thinking’.
The Heavy Price of Relentless Effort
This situation transcends a simple discussion about extended working hours; it signifies a quiet yet profound redefinition of India’s work ethic. The glorification of exhaustion, whether observed in the fast-paced start-up ecosystem or within scientific research, is cultivating a generation that measures achievement not by impact, but by the sheer volume of hours endured.
For IISc students, the apprehension is deeply ingrained. Beyond the physical toll, there’s the psychological burden of constant scrutiny. When every hour demands justification, rest begins to feel like an act of defiance, and the innate drive of curiosity recedes under the immense pressure. This creates a striking paradox: a system ostensibly designed to spur innovation ultimately stifles it.
From Research Labs to Strict Time Clocks
Academia, by its very nature, was never intended to mirror the corporate world. Genuine research flourishes in open, self-directed environments where groundbreaking ideas, not mere attendance, dictate progress. IISc’s new policy poses a significant threat to this foundational principle, blurring a crucial distinction.
The symbolic transformation is stark: on a campus renowned for producing pioneering scientific breakthroughs, students are now preoccupied with filling attendance logs instead of dedicating themselves to lab notebooks. The laboratory, once a sanctuary for intellectual freedom, now risks becoming just another office cubicle, burdened by more rigid hours and stringent regulations.
A Reflection of Contemporary India
The widespread discontent at IISc is not an isolated event; rather, it vividly mirrors the broader apprehension felt by an entire generation caught in the grip of a relentless ‘hustle culture.’ From corporate offices to university lecture halls, India’s brightest minds are increasingly being indoctrinated with the belief that sheer endurance equates to excellence—a perilous misconception that threatens to deplete the nation’s intellectual and creative reserves.
The Lingering Question
Despite the escalating student opposition, the IISc administration reportedly continues to uphold its justification for the policy. The outcome of this ongoing debate could establish a pivotal precedent for how India defines and approaches productivity within its most esteemed academic institutions.
The future innovators, scientists, and entrepreneurs of the nation are posing a fundamental, yet incisive, question: Must brilliance inevitably come at the cost of profound burnout?
Until a genuine answer emerges to this critical question, the allure of the ’80-hour dream’ will likely remain a captivating mirage, shimmering with ambitious promise but rapidly diminishing under the relentless weight of exhaustion.