Two days after a PhD student allegedly died by suicide at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the Union ministry of education on Thursday constituted a three-member committee to review the implementation of its mental health guidelines, examine the circumstances surrounding recent student deaths on the campus and suggest measures to prevent suicides.
Describing the death of the 27-year-old research scholar from the department of earth sciences, who hailed from Rajasthan’s Churu district, as an “unfortunate incident”, the ministry said it has “once again brought to the fore the critical importance of strengthening institutional mechanisms for safeguarding the emotional and mental wellbeing of students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)”.
The committee will be chaired by professor Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairperson of the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF). Its members include Dr Jitendra Nagpal, senior psychiatrist at Moolchand Hospital in Delhi, and a joint secretary (higher education) in the ministry of education.
The panel has been tasked with reviewing the extent of compliance by IIT Kanpur with the ‘Framework Guidelines for Emotional and Mental Wellbeing of Students in HEIs’ issued by the ministry in July 2023, examining recent suicide cases on campus and identifying gaps in institutional support mechanisms.
The death of the PhD scholar, who allegedly jumped from the sixth floor of a hostel building on January 20, was the second suicide on the campus in three weeks, the fifth in the past 12 months and the ninth in the last two years.
{{/usCountry}}The death of the PhD scholar, who allegedly jumped from the sixth floor of a hostel building on January 20, was the second suicide on the campus in three weeks, the fifth in the past 12 months and the ninth in the last two years.
{{/usCountry}}According to the ministry’s order, the committee will examine cases of student suicides at IIT Kanpur, with specific reference to the availability, adequacy and effectiveness of institutional policies, grievance redressal mechanisms, counselling services and other student support systems. It will also “identify gaps, systemic challenges, and areas requiring strengthening in institutional mental health and wellbeing frameworks” and recommend steps “to prevent student suicides and to enhance emotional and mental wellbeing support”.
The committee has been given 15 days to submit its report and may interact with stakeholders at IIT Kanpur and seek relevant records.
Earlier, on January 21, IIT Kanpur said in a press release that several measures are already in place to support student wellbeing. To address conflicts between research scholars and supervisors, the institute has appointed an external ombudsperson to handle grievances.
The institute has expanded its Centre for Mental Health Wellbeing by appointing 10 full-time psychologists, a clinical head who is a psychiatrist, and three empanelled psychiatrists for specialised care. All new undergraduate and postgraduate students undergo mental health screening in their first week on campus, and those identified as being at moderate or high risk are proactively contacted by counsellors for early intervention, the release said.
A 24x7 emergency mental health response system has also been put in place, along with regular sensitisation workshops for faculty, staff, security personnel and hostel teams, the institute added.
If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.
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