MIT suspends Indian-origin student Prahlad Iyengar over an essay: What is the controversy?

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has suspended an Indian-origin PhD student from entering its campus.

Prahlad Iyengar, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has been barred from campus until January 2026.

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The suspension comes after an article he wrote for a college magazine last month, which the institute saw as possibly calling for violent protests.

Who is Prahlad Iyengar? What was the essay about?

Iyengar is a PhD scholar from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which has now been terminated following his suspension from the institution.

Notably, a pro-Palestine essay led to his suspension from MIT.

The suspension comes after an essay titled “On Pacifism,” published in the October issue of the student journal Written Revolution, which MIT has banned. The administration claimed the essay contained language and imagery, including references to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), that could be “interpreted as a call for violent protests”. The PFLP is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US State Department.

Written Revolution is a multidisciplinary student publication focused on the pro-Palestine movement, which published Iyengar’s essay. The magazine has now been banned by MIT.

David Randall, MIT’s Dean of Student Life wrote in a letter declaring the ban on the publication, “At this time, you are directed to no longer distribute this issue of Written Revolution on MIT’s campus. You are also prohibited from distributing it elsewhere using the MIT name or that of any MIT-recognised organisation.”

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Notably, Iyengar has raised concerns about the suppression of free speech on American campuses. This is the second instance of his suspension from MIT, following a similar action last year related to pro-Palestinian protests held across the university.

In a statement shared by his lawyer Eric Lee on X, Iyengar said, “The administration accuses me of supporting ’terrorism’, because the edition in which my article appears includes images of posters from the Popular Front for the Liberation and of containing violent imagery in the publication.”

According to The Commune Magazine, Iyengar argued in his essay that pacifist strategies might not be the most effective approach for Palestine, though he refrained from explicitly endorsing violent resistance.

He described his suspension as an “extraordinary action.”

In a statement, he said, “These extraordinary actions should concern everyone on camp…Expelling me and banning Written Revolution from campus as a result of this article would mark an unprecedented attack on the rights of the entire student body and faculty. Consider the precedent MIT has set."

“Across the country, there is a systematic effort by university administrations to suppress free speech of those who oppose the genocide in Gaza… I therefore make the following call to all students, staff, and faculty of conscience at MIT: Do not let the administration control our speech and censor student-run publications," he further said.

Protests against MIT’s decision

In his final chance to protect his academic career at the institution, Iyengar is appealing MIT’s decision to the Chancellor this week.

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The MIT Coalition Against Apartheid has started protests against the university’s actions.

In a statement on X, the group wrote, “After public backlash against Prahlad’s campus ban due to an article about the pro-Palestine movement, MIT pivoted to suspending Prahlad on charges that have been resolved as informal warnings in similar scenarios.”

“The COD lumped Prahlad’s case with another ongoing disciplinary case to paint Prahlad as a “repeat offender", but suddenly and arbitrarily split the case into two parts after facing significant public criticism for violating his free speech."

“We have launched a campaign to put pressure on MIT’s administration to stop criminalising students who stand on the right side of history. We call on all organisations and institutions of conscience to sign up and stand up to MIT’s repression," it said in a statement.

Sophie Coppieters ’t Wallant, president of the MIT Graduate Student Union, has criticised the university’s actions. Wallant said, “The fact that MIT is choosing to threaten student livelihood and careers simply because they don’t agree with what students are speaking up and protesting for is unacceptable,” according to The Boston Globe.

On December 9, the coalition organised an emergency rally in support of Iyengar at Cambridge City Hill.

How social media reacted to this

Many social media users expressed support for Iyengar in response to the controversy.

One user wrote, “So MIT is basically Lockheed Martin lab and anyone who opposes this arrangement gets expelled… got it.”

Another user posted, “Solidarity with Prahlad. He doesn’t deserve to be punished merely for having a functional moral compass, and the courage of his convictions!” A third person added, “That’s so unjust. It must be reversed asap.”

However, there was also criticism. Some users condemned his ideologies and sided with MIT’s decision to suspend him.

A user wrote, “The woke virus, which has inundated the US campaign, is now turning into a malady. A student of Indian heritage, belonging to the caste most oppressed by Muslims, is advocating for the terrorist group Hamas. This exemplifies how Wokeism kills logic and reason.”

“Good, he should be expelled. Terrorism has no place in civilised society. He’s free to go to Gaza or Syria if he feels so strongly,” another posted. A third user said, “Oh please arrest of him and put him in jail..” “Good job MIT!”

With inputs from agencies