A three-member panel has been set up to examine the death of a student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Ranchi, the Ministry of Education said on Tuesday. The panel will be headed by Rajni Abbi, South Campus Director, University of Delhi, it said. IIIT Ranchi is a public-private partnership institute. As per reports, the hostel inmates alerted the institute administration after finding the room of the first-year student locked from the inside on Saturday night. The student was found hanging from the ceiling in his room.
"The Ministry of Education has taken cognizance of the unfortunate death of a student at IIIT Ranchi campus. In order to examine the circumstances and related issues in detail, a three-member committee has been constituted," a statement said. "The panel has been mandated to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and assess the implementation of the guidelines, with particular reference to the availability and functioning of basic facilities, institutional support systems, counselling and mentoring arrangements, and student grievance redressal mechanisms," it said.
The panel will be headed by Abbi and comprise a senior psychiatrist and a senior officer from the Ministry of Education. "The panel will identify any systemic gaps and recommend appropriate measures to strengthen student well-being and help prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The committee shall interact with stakeholders and examine relevant records and documents as required, the statement said. "The Ministry is undertaking suitable interim administrative arrangements to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the institute, keeping in view the interests and well-being of the students," it added.
The students alleged that college authorities were at fault because the victim was not taken to the hospital on time. Several students have been protesting on the campus following the incident.
More on similar incidents: Supreme Court grills Rajasthan govt over student suicides
The Supreme Court has pulled up the Rajasthan government over the surge in student suicides in the city of Kota, calling the situation "serious". During the hearing of a matter, a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said 14 suicide cases were reported from the city so far this year. "What are you doing as a state? Why are these children dying by suicide and only in Kota? Have you not given a thought as a state?" Justice Pardiwala asked the counsel representing state of Rajasthan.
The counsel said a special investigation team (SIT) was formed in the state to examine cases of suicides. The top court was hearing a matter over the death of a 22-year-old student studying at IIT, Kharagpur. The student was found hanging in his hostel room on May 4. The top court was also dealing with another case of a girl who was a NEET aspirant and was found hanging in her room in Kota, where she lived with her parents.
-With PTI Inputs
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Supreme Court grills Rajasthan govt over student suicides: Why are they dying only in Kota?
