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IIT Madras students hold protest for suspension of PhD supervisor
Hundreds of students gathered at the central point on campus, the Gajendra circle, and began their protest overnight on April 11.
Protests emerged in IIT Madras demanding the suspension of a PhD supervisor until enquiry is complete in the case where a PhD scholar died by suicide on March 31. Posters have come up across campus with the student’s photo demanding justice.
The deceased student’s family alleged that the supervisor added pressure on him and following their meeting on March 31 morning, the student uploaded a Whatsapp status, “I’m not good enough” and died by hanging in his room outside of campus. (READ: ‘I am sorry…’: IIT-Madras student posts WhatsApp status before hanging himself)
Hundreds of students gathered at the central point on campus, the Gajendra circle, and began their protest overnight on April 11. They shared their demands in a meeting with IIT-M’s director V Kamakoti, and resumed the protest again at 6 pm on April 12.
“The guide shouldn’t be involved in the inquiry process. From the students’ side, we request the suspension of the guide.” Secondly, they want immunity of the students involved in the inquiry against the guide. External retired judges should be involved in the inquiry committee to gain their trust, the students added.
“We scholars mentioned that we don’t have any trust in the inquiry procedure being conducted by the internal committee as well as the police department,” said a note shared by the students. “Several worries with respect to the supervisor threatening the students of the lab not to disclose any details of the incident have been discussed at the protest.”
The victim’s brother in an email to the institute’s director and other faculty, had blamed the PhD supervisor for his brother’s death, HT had reported on April 6.
He attached a six page handwritten letter saying that his brother was on medication for mental health issues which the supervisor knew and worsened it by adding pressure on him. He had a meeting with his supervisor on March 31 morning, came back home and put up the Whatsapp status “I’m not good enough” before killing himself, he adds.
“He had informed us that his degree will be delayed because the guide was making him do extra work,” he said. He was meant to complete his PhD thesis in three months. He added that his brother’s access to the lab was restricted. On the day of his suicide, IIT-M said that he was a student with an “exemplary academic and research record” and this was “a big loss to the research community.” The Velachery police had registered a case of unnatural death on March 31.
When HT had contacted the PhD supervisor Ashis Kumar Sen earlier, he said that only the institute could give the facts. This is the third suicide in IIT-M since February.
Earlier on March 14, a 20-year-old student died by suicide inside a hostel in IIT-M. On February 14, a post-graduate student died by suicide and another student attempted suicide by consuming pills but he was rescued. Following this the students had gone on an overnight protest against the management. They placed a list of demands and actions with IIT-M director including an external expert committee to study the mental health of IIT-M students, addressing the professor- student relationship for research scholars, increasing facilities at the institute’s medical centre. IIT-Madras director had then said that financial stress, personal reasons, academic pressure and health issues are key reasons behind suicides on the campus.
