Now Reading: IIT Delhi sets up probe panel after M.Sc student death, students protest
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IIT Delhi sets up probe panel after M.Sc student death, students protest
IIT Delhi sets up probe panel after M.Sc student death, students protest
IIT Delhi has formed an external inquiry committee to investigate the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, who died earlier this week. The committee, headed by former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar,…
IIT Delhi has formed an external inquiry committee to investigate the death of M.Sc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar, who died earlier this week. The committee, headed by former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, includes AIIMS Delhi's psychiatry head Professor Pratap Sharma and two student representatives. It has been asked to submit its report within two weeks.
Students protesting on campus have rejected the committee, calling it a routine measure that does not address underlying issues. They have demanded the resignation of the Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Deans, and the Physics HOD. The institute has not responded to that demand.
The institute said Kumar joined in July 2025, developed mental health issues in March 2026, and was advised parental supervision. He withdrew from semesters and lived off-campus. IIT Delhi plans to introduce an external ombudsperson and a faculty-student mentoring system for students needing parental support. The protest continues.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This is the latest in a string of student suicides at IITs that have drawn scrutiny to campus mental health systems. In 2023, the IIT Council mandated a mental health policy for all IITs after multiple deaths, but implementation remains uneven. Students at IIT Delhi are now asking why the institute's counsellor repeatedly advised parental supervision rather than offering on-campus interventions. The key test will be whether the external ombudsperson and mentoring system, announced alongside the inquiry, actually change how distress is triaged. The committee's report, due in two weeks, will reveal if the institute acknowledges systemic gaps or treats each death as an isolated case.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
