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IIT Ropar Fires Assistant Professor Following Case Bringing Attention to Campus Safety
Ropar’s Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has fired an assistant professor after a PhD student filed a complaint accusing him of sexual harassment. This firing has brought a lot of additional attention to a case that has been very public within the academic community. The IIT has said that the teacher’s behavior while on probation was “not satisfactory.” Dr. Lakhan Bainsla, the accused, was also put on paid leave after being accused of harassment and the abuse of academic power. This firing has come after intense public criticism on how IIT Ropar has dealt with this case. This has caused renewed criticism of how higher-level education institutions protect their students from harassment.
Termination Details
The official notice from the institute has cited Dr. Lakhan Bainsla’s termination date as July 24, 2026, and has ordered that he complete all “No Dues” procedures within a week. While the termination notice referenced that his conduct in the probation period was not satisfactory, the harassment case was not formally cited as a reason for the termination, but the proceedings were in the context of the ongoing complaint of the PhD student.
Background of the Allegations
During the first months of this year, a female PhD candidate from the Physics Department reported that her academic supervisor harassed her, subjected her to mental torture, and exhibited other forms of misconduct. The candidate reported that her supervisor tried to manipulate her position and harass her outside the boundaries of her research, and that he was damaging her academic career. She publicly announced her experience after she was unhappy with the response from the institution.
As a result of her report, the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of IIT Ropar started the investigation, and the Institute placed the faculty member on enforced leave, prohibiting him from coming to the campus and participating in academic activities. The matter was reported to the local police.
Questions Raised Over Institutional Response
The case started an active discussion amongst students and researchers. Current and even former researchers of the institute stated that reports of harassment are seldom made because of the academic and career-related fears that are associated with such reports. Barriers to research and fears associated with lack of academic supervision caused many to refrain from reporting to the Internal Complaints Committee, as IIT Ropar has maintained that it acts in accordance with legal provisions and responds to complaints reported via prescribed mechanisms.
Campus Safety Under Spotlight
The termination is a response to a growing national concern regarding addressing mechanisms for harassment in higher educational institutions. As per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, all universities and other higher educational institutions are mandated to establish Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs). These committees investigate complaints and recommend action based on the findings. The IIT Ropar case raises important questions about the accountability of institutions, safety of students, and the adequacy of grievance interfaces.
What Happens Next?
Even though the faculty member was removed, the complaints may still be pursued in the courts and in the administrative services.
Currently, the institution has issued nothing more than a removal order. Outcomes from the ICC and the continuing police inquiries will determine the related cases.
Why This Development Matters
This case is important because this is one of the most severe administrative actions against an IIT faculty member for faculty misconduct in recent history. The IIT Ropar case signals the need for advanced responses to complaints of student safety and workplace harassment by academic institutions.
The IIT Ropar case is important for research scholars in India because this case is one of the few of its kind that focuses on the balance of power in academic institutions and the need for institutional accountability and grievance interfaces.
Final Thoughts
The assistant professors' removal is one of the first important actions in the IIT Ropar harassment case. This removal, however, leaves a multitude of unresolved issues, especially regarding safety and the protection of the student body. While the case remains active, it is likely to continue to be a focal point of safety and increased accountability of higher educational institutions in India.
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