IIT Kharagpur mulls steps to reduce mental stress among students

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur is thinking about making some changes to reduce mental stress on its students. This comes after four students died by suicide in the past year. The latest incident happened on May 4, when a third-year civil engineering student, Md Asif Qamar, was found hanging in his hostel room. Two weeks earlier, another student, Aniket Walkar from the ocean engineering and naval architecture department, also died in a similar way. Earlier, in January, a third-year undergraduate student, Shaon Malik, was found dead in his room. In June 2024, Devika Pillai, a fourth-year student, also died by suicide.

These incidents have raised serious concerns about student mental health and the pressure they face. In response, the institute is now thinking about changes to its rules, especially related to attendance and counselling services.

Looking into attendance reforms

IIT Kharagpur Acting Director Amit Patra said that discussions are going on to reform the attendance policy. He clarified that this does not mean the rules will be completely relaxed. Instead, they are considering making them flexible enough so that students who are under stress can get help without being punished academically. For example, while one teacher may be strict with attendance, another might be slightly lenient if the student is genuinely going through a tough time.

Currently, IIT Kharagpur requires students to attend at least 75% of their classes. If they fail to do so, they risk being de-registered from the course. Weekly tests and attendance are part of the institute’s academic routine. But now, Patra says, the Senate (the highest decision-making body in the institute) will review this. If a student faces serious mental stress due to being de-registered, that case is always given special attention. The goal is to find a balance where the academic standard is not lowered, but students are not pushed too hard either.

Patra also said that in real cases of personal problems or emergencies, the student’s situation is already taken into account. He added that the Senate will decide how to make the system better without allowing misuse of these reforms.

Focus on mental health support

Dean of Students Bhargava Maitra said that stress can be caused not only by academics but also by personal issues. That’s why mental counselling is very important. Students are encouraged to reach out and get help when they feel low or depressed. Maitra stressed that the institute has systems in place to help students, but these need to be strengthened and updated based on recent incidents.

To better understand the reasons behind these tragic deaths, IIT Kharagpur has almost finished forming a special committee. This committee will include different stakeholders from the institute and will look into what kind of support is currently available for hostel residents. It will also check whether the hostel environment is healthy for students. The committee will suggest new steps to improve mental health care and the overall living experience of students.

The committee is expected to announce its responsibilities in a day or two. Once it starts working, it will examine the support systems, identify any problems, and recommend what more needs to be done. This includes improving the quality of counselling, better hostel life support, and smoother academic processes.

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One major issue that has come up is that while students are under academic pressure, teachers also face pressure to maintain discipline and standards. Patra pointed out that faculty members care deeply about their students. Many of them are already aware of the stress students face and do their best to help. But at the same time, they are responsible for keeping up the quality of education. So, changes must make sure that neither side suffers.

The institute believes that the academic system should not become so strict that students feel hopeless. But at the same time, there must be discipline. That’s why they are now working on policies that can protect both student well-being and academic integrity.

A call for better environment

The deaths of students have raised serious questions about whether enough is being done to support young people during their years at IIT. With tight schedules, high competition, and personal struggles, many students find it difficult to cope. Authorities now admit that more action is needed.

The new committee’s findings will play a big role in shaping the future steps of IIT Kharagpur. Its work could include introducing wellness programmes, more breaks in the academic calendar, or even setting up peer support groups.

The institute has said it is determined to make sure no more lives are lost. For now, it is working urgently to address the issues that may be causing students to feel isolated or overwhelmed.

The next few weeks will be critical as the Senate and the special committee begin their reviews and offer their suggestions. While change may not come overnight, the move signals a serious attempt to fix the system before it’s too late.