A video glance from 2023, showing a woman dancing at an IIT Roorkee college festival, has once again gone viral this time stirring controversy and sparking widespread criticism on social media. Recently, netizens judged the performance harshly, calling it “vulgar” and alleged it conflicts with expected rules in academic institutions.

In response, the institute has issued a strong statement denouncing misleading content shared online with the apparent aim of harming its reputation. The Media Cell In-charge, Sonika Srivastava, emphasized that IIT Roorkee takes its core values professional norms, academic dignity, institutional integrity very seriously. IIT Roorkee also reserved the right to pursue legal action, including filing FIRs, against individuals or groups spreading false or defamatory information.

Crucially, while the institute did not directly refer in the statement to the specific clip, the timing and context make its concerns clear. The video features the song “Jalebi Baby,” performed at a cultural fest in 2023. Some critics assert the dancer is a student; others argue she may be a hired professional model this ambiguity has fanned the discuss.

Beyond the immediate controversy, this episode raises broader concern about how moments captured once can resurface later, often includes of nuance, to become symbols in hot debates. For academic institutions especially, balancing freedom of expression and institutional reputation is tricky. But IIT Roorkee’s current stance is unmistakable: false narratives matter, and will not be allowed to damage trust without accountability.