IIT Bombay has opened four rooms in its Department of Energy Science and Engineering for students preparing for mid-semester examinations after ending the overnight use of rooms in the Lecture Hall Complex, a facility students had traditionally used for late-night study. Students say the substitute space is inadequate, particularly because it has too few charging points for the laptops and tablets now required for academic work.
The change was reported by Insight, IIT Bombay’s student media body, which said the Lecture Hall Complex had remained open late into the night and early morning during examination periods. The facility was especially important for students living in hostels with limited study space and poor or no Wi-Fi connectivity.
According to the report, the administration decided to close the Lecture Hall Complex at night this semester because of concerns related to cleanliness and security, including littering. Following discussions with student representatives, the institute opened four rooms in the Energy department building as an alternative. Students were informed of the arrangement through an email sent on September 5.
The administration said additional rooms could be opened depending on demand. It described the arrangement as temporary and said the measures were intended to ensure the smooth conduct of examination preparations. The institute said the arrangement would remain in place for the examination session.
Students have questioned whether the alternative meets the practical requirements of late-night study. One student told the Indian Express that the main problem was not only the amount of space but also the lack of sufficient charging ports. Another said lecture notes, coding assignments, book PDFs and online explanations were increasingly accessed on laptops and tablets, making charging facilities an essential part of a functional study space.
The dispute highlights how the management of campus buildings is increasingly connected to digital infrastructure. A room that remains physically available but lacks reliable power access may not provide students with a usable workspace when academic material, assignments and reference resources are largely device-based. For students without suitable hostel study conditions, the availability, operating hours and equipment of common academic spaces directly shape their ability to prepare for examinations.
The institute has not announced a permanent replacement for overnight access to the Lecture Hall Complex. Its immediate plan is to review demand during the examination session and consider opening additional rooms if required.
