The National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Kurukshetra has constituted a five-member committee to investigate recent student suicide cases on the campus besides forming three separate committees to look into issues faced by students.
The probe panel will interact with students, professors, wardens, and other staff over the issue. NIT’s public relations officer, professor Gian Bhushan, said on Sunday that the committee has been constituted to investigate the recent suicide cases on campus.
The panel is headed by dean of student welfare Lillie Dewan and includes professors J K Kapoor, Praveen Aggarwal, Sandeep Singhal, and Manoj Sinha. The development comes days after a 19-year-old B.Tech student, who hailed from Bihar, allegedly died by suicide on Thursday. Her death sparked protests on campus. The institute has reported four suicide cases in the last two months, with three occurring in April only.
After Bihar girl’s death, who allegedly died by suicide, a first-year BTech student allegedly attempted to commit suicide on Friday night, police had said. The woman student, a Maharashtra native, allegedly threatened and tried to jump off the hostel building, but was stopped by fellow hostellers.
Bhushan also said that the administration has ordered all students to vacate hostels by Sunday in light of the events and keeping in mind the well-being of all students. Out of around 5,300 students residing in hostels, more than 2,500 vacated their rooms until Saturday.
{{/usCountry}}Bhushan also said that the administration has ordered all students to vacate hostels by Sunday in light of the events and keeping in mind the well-being of all students. Out of around 5,300 students residing in hostels, more than 2,500 vacated their rooms until Saturday.
{{/usCountry}}The institute has replaced key hostel officials, including the chief warden and deputy warden of the girls’ hostel. Interacting with media persons on Saturday, the officiating director of NIT, Brahmjit said the institute is taking students’ issues seriously. He said each student has now been assigned a faculty member for regular interaction.
CPI (M) MP writes to Centre seeking probe
Communist Party of India (CPI) (M) Rajya Sabha member from Kerala, John Brittas, on Sunday wrote to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking urgent intervention on the issue of ‘alarming series’ of student suicides and suicide attempts at the NIT in the past two months. He has called for the formation of a panel to probe the incidents and review the response system of the institute.
“The recurrence of such tragic incidents within a premier national institution raises serious questions regarding student safety, institutional response mechanisms, and the adequacy of mental health support systems ...and suggests the existence of deeper systemic concerns requiring immediate and independent examination,” Brittas wrote in his letter to Pradhan. HT has a copy of the letter.
Referring to news reports that institute has reported four suicide cases in the last two months, Brittas said that the NIT’s response to these incidents has raised serious apprehensions among students regarding transparency, sensitivity, and adherence to proper emergency protocols. He also alleged that concerns have been raised regarding the functioning of the mentor–mentee system and “insensitive remarks allegedly made by faculty members, which have reportedly aggravated the distress experienced by students”. Union education ministry officials did not respond to HT’s request for a comment.