4-tier counselling cell for IIT-K students

THE INDIAN Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has restructured its counselling cell to make it more effective and meaningful in handling students suffering from stress and depression.

THE INDIAN Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has restructured its counselling cell to make it more effective and meaningful in handling students suffering from stress and depression.

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Talking to Hindustan Times, chief of the cell Dr Gautam Deb informed that a four-tier system of counselling was being introduced immediately to provide assistance to students.

Under the system, at the first level student guides would monitor and try to counsel affected students. If the problem was beyond their capabilities, the same would be informed to senior students, who would refer the case, if required, to assistant coordinators (teachers). Finally, it would be senior professors, designated as chief coordinators, who, with the help of physicians and psychologists, would counsel the students.

Deb said the objective was to provide personalised counselling. Efforts, at every level, would be made to ensure that students felt free and comfortable while explaining their problems. “We have been receiving quite a few students at the cell. Efforts are being made to help them fight stress and depression successfully,” he said.

About the reasons for stress in students, Deb said majority of them complained of their inability to keep pace with the academics. Besides, a feeling to prove themselves at the institute also put them under pressure. In the event of any failure, students easily got bogged down, he added.

To a question, Deb said though so far no cases with suicidal tendencies had come to light, there were cases which needed regular counselling and family support to overcome their fears.