IIT Bombay: “Hygiene Committee” bans entry with non-veg food in vegetarian mess; students express outrage

Dining hall controversy has erupted at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay once again after the "Hygiene Committee" issued a notice prohibiting the entry of non-vegetarian food into a "pure-vegetarian" canteen.

The notice, shared on social media by the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC) of IIT Bombay today, August 13, stated: “Amul Canteen is a pure-vegetarian eatery. Bringing non-vegetarian stuff even in the canteen’s dining area is strictly not allowed.”

The APPSC condemned the decision, labelling it as an example of "veg-purism".

In their social media post, they pointed out the irony, stating, “The said canteen does not even have a properly enclosed dining area, still they are obsessed with creating more and more enclosures for the "pure-vegetarians." #UCinsecurities.”

This incident reminds one of a similar controversy last year when IIT Bombay introduced a segregated dining area exclusively for vegetarians. The institute faced backlash after imposing a hefty fine of ₹10,000 on a student who protested by sitting in the vegetarian section with non-vegetarian food.

The decision has been met with strong criticism from various quarters. Following IIT Bombay’s lead, IIT Hyderabad also introduced a separate dining area for vegetarians shortly thereafter. According to students, these segregated spaces have long been an unspoken rule on some campuses, with a few institutes even providing separate mess facilities for vegetarians.