Now Reading: IIT Delhi sets up probe panel after M.Sc student death, protests continue
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IIT Delhi sets up probe panel after M.Sc student death, protests continue
IIT Delhi sets up probe panel after M.Sc student death, protests continue
IIT Delhi has formed an external inquiry committee after the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, but student protesters have rejected the panel as routine and ineffective. The committee is headed…
IIT Delhi has formed an external inquiry committee after the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, but student protesters have rejected the panel as routine and ineffective. The committee is headed by former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar and includes AIIMS psychiatry head Professor Pratap Sharma along with two student representatives.
Protesters said similar committees are set up after every student suicide but do not address underlying problems. They also criticised the counselling system, alleging genuine distress is sometimes dismissed with superficial advice. The institute said Kumar had a good academic record in his first semester but developed mental health issues in March 2026, was advised parental supervision, and had withdrawals approved for the second and third semesters.
The committee must report within two weeks. IIT Delhi also plans to appoint an external ombudsperson and introduce a mentoring system for students needing parental support. The students' demand for resignation of the Dean and other officials has not been met, and the protest continues on campus.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Student suicides at IITs have risen sharply in recent years, with at least 23 deaths reported across the system between 2019 and 2024 according to data tabled in Parliament. The IIT Council had directed all institutes in 2023 to set up mental health task forces and mandated peer-support programmes, yet implementation has been uneven. The key institutional question here is whether IIT Delhi's external ombudsperson and mentoring system will have binding authority or remain advisory. The committee's two-week deadline means a concrete set of recommendations is due by the third week of March 2027, giving students a clear date to watch.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
