Now Reading: IIT Delhi forms probe panel after M.Sc student’s death, students reject it
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IIT Delhi forms probe panel after M.Sc student’s death, students reject it
IIT Delhi forms probe panel after M.Sc student’s death, students reject it
IIT Delhi has constituted an external inquiry committee into the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, who had been under treatment for mental health issues. The panel is headed by former…
IIT Delhi has constituted an external inquiry committee into the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, who had been under treatment for mental health issues. The panel is headed by former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar and includes a psychiatrist from AIIMS Delhi. The institute has also announced financial support for Kumar's family and plans to appoint an external ombudsperson.
Student protesters have rejected the committee as a routine, ineffective measure. They are demanding the resignation of the Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Deans, and the Physics Department head, accusing the counselling system of functioning only as a formality. A protest continues on campus.
According to the institute, Kumar joined in July 2025, developed mental health issues in March 2026, and was twice advised to stay under parental supervision. He withdrew from two semesters with approval before returning to campus in July 2026. The committee has been asked to submit its report within two weeks.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Student suicides at premier Indian institutes have repeatedly triggered protests but rarely led to lasting structural reform. An external inquiry is the standard institutional response, but protesters here point to a pattern of such panels producing reports that gather dust. The core demand, resignation of the Dean and associate deans, targets the grievance-handling chain that students say fails them. The institute’s own account shows that Kumar was flagged for mental health issues, advised parental supervision, and allowed to withdraw from semesters, yet the system did not keep him safe. The ombudsperson and mentoring scheme are prospective fixes, but without consequences for the administrators students hold responsible, distrust is unlikely to fade. The committee’s report is due in two weeks, whether it leads to personnel changes will test the institute’s commitment.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
