Now Reading: IIT Delhi forms probe panel after M.Sc student’s death, protest continues
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IIT Delhi forms probe panel after M.Sc student’s death, protest continues
IIT Delhi forms probe panel after M.Sc student’s death, protest continues
IIT Delhi has set up an external inquiry committee led by former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar to investigate the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar. Students protesting on campus have rejected…
IIT Delhi has set up an external inquiry committee led by former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar to investigate the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar. Students protesting on campus have rejected the committee as a routine and ineffective measure, demanding the resignation of the Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Deans and the Physics HOD. The institute has not addressed this demand.
Rishikesh Kumar, who joined the M.Sc programme in July 2025, developed mental health issues in March 2026 and was repeatedly advised to remain under parental supervision. He withdrew from two semesters and lived outside campus with his parent. The institute plans to reimburse his medical expenses, create a fund through voluntary contributions, and appoint an external ombudsperson for student grievances.
The committee includes AIIMS Delhi psychiatry head Professor Pratap Sharma and two student representatives. It must submit its report within two weeks. Protests remain underway at the campus.
Indian Opinion Analysis
IIT Delhi's handling of student deaths has come under repeated scrutiny. A 2023 parliamentary panel noted that IITs reported 17 student suicides between 2018 and 2022, with IIT Delhi accounting for the highest number. The demand for the Dean's resignation reflects a broader student grievance that institutional accountability stops at committees. The institute's new ombudsperson role, if created, would be a first among the older IITs, which typically rely on internal grievance cells. The external committee has two weeks to report, whether students accept its findings will determine if protests escalate or de-escalate.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
