Outrage over product test conducted on students in school inside IIT Madras

Chennai: Vana Vani Matriculation Higher Secondary School inside the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) campus is at the centre of a raging row for allowing a product test to be conducted on students without the permission of their parents. After the issue came to light, the IIT-M management transferred the school principal M Sathish Kumar, while the District Education Officer (DEO) summoned parents and the school management for an inquiry on Friday.

The school is run by the IIT-M and functions within the sprawling premises of the higher education institute in the heart of the city. According to parents, the test took place on August 19 during which the students were made to wear a “smart insole” inside their shoes and a smartwatch before they were asked to walk and jump short distances.

They said data was collected from their children and accused the school management of not seeking their prior consent for the test. The parents also suspect that the product was related to sports and that their children were tested with it against established practices and rules.

The issue has now reached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) with parents filing a complaint against the school for allowing tests on children by violating rules under the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

SHRC member and advocate V Kannadasan said the commission has asked the management of the school and the school education director to explain the issue. The parents and management will now appear before the DEO on Friday for an enquiry.

The school management, however, said the findings of a committee formed to go into the alleged lapses has established that neither stimulants were provided to the students during the test, nor any invasive procedures were performed.

When contacted, the IIT-M categorically denied that clinical trials or medical device testing had taken place in the school but said the study was related to the feasibility of a cost-effective smart insole assembled using commercially available items.

“Neither clinical trials nor any medical-related device trials were conducted. Neither medicine nor stimulants were given,” the IIT-M said, adding that the smart insole was placed inside the insole of students’ shoes to study the ease of walking, which had no contact with the human body.

The faculty said this was just a feasibility test and not a clinical trial, and hence it may not require permission from the parents, but the institute said it took “serious view” of the incident and replaced the principal.

“The faculty of IITM was also warned, and administrative action was taken for not ascertaining that permission from parents was to be obtained before performing the feasibility study. The feasibility study was immediately stopped on the same day on 19.08.2024,” it added.