A third-year BTech student of IIT Guwahati was found dead in his hostel room Monday, triggering protests by students. It was the second such death on the campus in the span of a month. The deceased, a 21-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, was in the Computer Science and Engineering programme. On Monday morning, police were informed that he was found dead in his room.
The IIT Guwahati administration stated on Monday, saying it is “working closely with the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic event”. Hundreds of students gathered to protest outside the administrative building, alleging that academic pressures had led to their fellow student’s death.
A statement by the institute said, “IIT Guwahati reaffirms its commitment to fostering a supportive and safe environment for all students. Extended counselling support is available, enabling students to meet with counsellors after class hours if needed… IIT Guwahati remains dedicated to prioritising the mental health and well-being of our student community during these challenging times.”
Protest begins at campus
Thousands of students had protested since Monday, boycotting classes after a student's death by suicide on Sunday. The students demanded an investigation and accountability, believing that the institute had failed to respond to students' complaints of mental harassment and stress.
The students decided to stop their protests after a four-hour meeting between the Student Gymkhana Council and IIT Guwahati Director Professor Devendra Jalihal on Wednesday, sources said. Professor Jalihal reportedly assured the protesting students that four officials would resign within a week.
“There is a lot of rage among the students because this is the second suicide in a month. We want the deans and the directors to meet us and address our concerns,” said one of the student protesters. They claimed the dead student was among dozens who had failed in a course last winter due to their inability to meet the attendance requirement, and was restricted from internships as a result, pointing to that as a source of distress for him.
The IIT Guwahati administration stated on Monday, saying it is “working closely with the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic event”. Hundreds of students gathered to protest outside the administrative building, alleging that academic pressures had led to their fellow student’s death.
A statement by the institute said, “IIT Guwahati reaffirms its commitment to fostering a supportive and safe environment for all students. Extended counselling support is available, enabling students to meet with counsellors after class hours if needed… IIT Guwahati remains dedicated to prioritising the mental health and well-being of our student community during these challenging times.”
Protest begins at campus
Thousands of students had protested since Monday, boycotting classes after a student's death by suicide on Sunday. The students demanded an investigation and accountability, believing that the institute had failed to respond to students' complaints of mental harassment and stress.
The students decided to stop their protests after a four-hour meeting between the Student Gymkhana Council and IIT Guwahati Director Professor Devendra Jalihal on Wednesday, sources said. Professor Jalihal reportedly assured the protesting students that four officials would resign within a week.
“There is a lot of rage among the students because this is the second suicide in a month. We want the deans and the directors to meet us and address our concerns,” said one of the student protesters. They claimed the dead student was among dozens who had failed in a course last winter due to their inability to meet the attendance requirement, and was restricted from internships as a result, pointing to that as a source of distress for him.