IISc Bengaluru’s new 80-hour workweek rule triggers student outrage

Bengaluru: A new attendance rule introduced by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has triggered widespread outrage among students and staff.

The controversial directive, issued by the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE), mandates strict weekly working hours for all staff, faculty, and research students, in some cases extending up to 70–80 hours a week.

According to policy documents accessed by Hindustan Times, senior PhD scholars are required to match their working hours with those of their supervisors, whose schedules often extend between 70 and 80 hours a week. The students argue that it places unrealistic demands on them and introduces a system of excessive surveillance.

What the new IISc attendance policy says

Implemented this month, the new attendance policy at IISc Bengaluru outlines specific working-hour requirements for various groups within the department.

Permanent and contractual staff are required to log 40 hours per week, excluding lunch breaks, while MTech and first-year PhD students must spend a minimum of 50 hours on campus each week.

Senior PhD scholars are expected to align their schedules with those of their supervisors, which often extends between 70 and 80 hours weekly. In addition, those accessing central research facilities such as the National Nanofabrication Centre (NNFC), Micro and Nano Characterisation Facility (MNCF), or IISc Microscopy Facility are required to separately log the time spent at these centres.

Students choosing to work from home must also provide proper documentation to justify their absence from campus.