A new attendance policy implemented by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has sparked significant resentment among students and faculty.

The Department of Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE) published the contentious directive requiring strict weekly working hours for all staff, faculty, and research students, which can range from 70 to 80 hours per week.

According to policy documents obtained by Hindustan Times, senior PhD researchers must match their working hours with those of their supervisors, whose schedules frequently range between 70 and 80 hours per week. 

The students believe that it imposes unrealistic demands on them and establishes a system of excessive surveillance.

The new attendance policy at IISc Bengaluru, which went into effect this month, specifies the working hours for different groups within the department.

Permanent and contractual employees are required to work 40 hours per week, excluding lunch breaks, whereas MTech and first-year PhD students must work at least 50 hours per week on campus.

Senior PhD researchers are expected to coordinate their schedules with those of their supervisors, which frequently range between 70 and 80 hours per week. 

In addition, people who use central research facilities such as the National Nanofabrication Centre (NNFC), Micro and Nano Characterisation Facility (MNCF), or IISc Microscopy Facility must separately document their time there.

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