Congress leader flags alleged notice to IIM Jammu students who abstained Modi’s birthday event
Questions have been raised over an alleged notice issued to students of IIM Jammu following their absence from a lamp-lighting ceremony held on September 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday.
The allegation has been made by Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain, who is also the party incharge of J&K, in a post on X, in which he shared the purported communication and said students had been asked to explain their absence, with the notice mentioning a Rs 500 fine for those who failed to respond.
The students were allegedly told to respond in writing by September 18 about their absence to a notice purportedly issued by the student council of IIM-Jammu or pay a fine of Rs 500, Hussain alleged. He has posted on X a copy of the notice.
The purported notice warned the absentee students “This is to inform you that you were marked absent from Deepak Lighting Ceremony on 17/09/2026, despite the event being mandatory”.
“You are hereby required to provide a written explanation stating the reason for your absence from the event. Please note that an exemption from the absence will be considered only on medical grounds, and the same must be supported by an official written note from Sanjeevni specially recommending bed rest for the concerned period…..”
Hussain wrote on X “IIM Jammu has issued a notice to students who did not attend a mandatory Deepak Lighting Ceremony held on September 17 to mark PM Modi’s birthday, asking them to explain their absence and warning of a ₹500 fine for failing to respond”.
“Why should attendance at PM Modi’s birthday celebration be mandatory for students? Is this an academic responsibility at an IIM, or has PM Modi’s publicity been brought into the campus as a compulsory exercise?”
“Educational institutions should nurture independent minds, not compel students to attend political leaders‘ celebrations or threaten them with penalties. BJP’s publicity stunts should be kept out of our premier educational institutions”, Hussain added.
IIM-Jammu is yet to officially respond to the Hussain’s claims. However, an official, who did not want to be identified, said the issue was being blown out of proportion and no action has been taken against any student, he added.
Meanwhile, the lighting of lamp at 7pm on September 17 was one of the many events that the BJP has lined up for the month-long celebrations, called “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan”, for Modi’s 76th birthday and 25 years in public life, starting from when he first became chief minister.
IIM Jammu observed a special lamp Lighting Ceremony at the Main Reception of the Academic Block on 17th September, marking the birthday of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and reflecting on India’s transformative growth journey towards #ViksitBharat2047. The occasion was presided over by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu.
BJP MLA (Jammu East) Yudhvir Sethi was present in the celebrations in the IIM. He extended warm birthday greetings and gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting his leadership in inclusive development, national security, border areas, foreign policy and community empowerment. He described institutions such as IIM Jammu, IIT Jammu and AIIMS Jammu as significant manifestations of this vision and contributions to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. He also expressed gratitude to Prof. B.S. Sahay and the IIM Jammu fraternity for organizing the celebration and conveyed wishes for the Prime Minister’s good health and long life, IIM Jammu wrote on social media.