Hyderabad: Buckling under the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) warning, the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H) clarified late Friday evening that it cancelled the on-campus screening of a documentary on jailed student leader and activist Umar Khalid.
The documentary—Prisoner No. 626710 is Present—was scheduled for screening at 8 pm on Friday.
A note from the deemed university about cancelling the screening came after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) flagged the proposed screening of the documentary on Thursday. The CBFC stated that public exhibition of an uncertified film violates the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been obtained.
The CBFC flagged IIIT-H on X, saying, “Public screening of a documentary film that has not yet been certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act.”
Referring to a poster on Instagram shared by one of the institute’s students, the CBFC called for necessary action by the management.
Public Screening of a Documentary film that has not yet been Certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act. Authorities of @iiit_hyderabad may take note for necessary action. pic.twitter.com/KeZlkbqrFn
— CBFC केंद्रीय फिल्म प्रमाणन बोर्ड (@CBFC_Bharat) September 17, 2026
To this, IIIT-H promptly responded on Friday, stating that an informal student group had proposed the screening of the documentary about controversial student leader and research scholar Umar Khalid in a campus lecture hall on 18 September. The academic institution said the screening has no official link to IIIT-H.
“Since no official permission was taken for this, nor were any of the required protocols followed, the institute promptly cancelled the screening as soon as it was made aware of such an unauthorised event. The institute has made it clear that no public or private screening of the film will be permitted in any institute space, including classrooms, laboratories or offices,” a media release issued by IIIT-H read.
Directed by filmmaker Lalit Vachani, the documentary on the jailed student leader and activist was proposed to be screened by a group of students at the institute’s KRB Auditorium.
Syed Umar Khalid is a former student leader and research scholar of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. He rose to prominence when the Delhi Police Special Cell first detained and subsequently arrested him under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case.
Reiterating that the proposed screening was not an institute-organised or authorised event, IIIT-H said that neither the institute nor any of its recognised student clubs, cells or bodies were involved in the proposed screening in any way. “The Institute has long-established processes governing official events and activities on campus, and no permission for this film screening had been obtained from the competent authorities,” it added.
The institute issued a strict directive against violating established procedures and expects all members of its community to follow established procedures and applicable legal and institutional requirements when organising or announcing activities on campus.
Located in Hyderabad, India, the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-Hyderabad or IIIT-H) was founded in 1998 as a deemed university and as a non-profit public-private partnership (N-PPP) (non-governmental) institute.
It is the first IIIT in India under this model, and is considered the leading institution among all IIITs. It has served as a template for establishing similar IIITs across the country.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also read: Hum Dekhenge to Khalid, Utho—Delhi poets, singers mark Umar Khalid’s sixth year in jail