The tragic death of a 21-year-old B. Tech student at IIT Guwahati has ignited widespread protests on campus. The student found hanging in his hostel room on September 9, 2024, allegedly took his life due to excessive academic pressures, including being marked as failed for low attendance despite health-related issues. The unfortunate incident has led to mounting concerns about the mental well-being of students at one of India’s premier institutions.
The situation escalated as students alleged that the administration responded slowly, both in rescue efforts and in informing the student’s family. “Saw our friend hanging, but nobody brought down until eight hours after the door was opened,” a student described, requesting anonymity.
Furthermore, students accused the administration of attempting to delete video evidence from their phones, prompting demands for greater transparency. Some alleged that despite their academic achievements, students were marked failed due to attendance issues, even when absences were for valid reasons like health problems. In one batch alone, nearly 200 students were reportedly marked as failed, fueling further outrage.
In response to the growing unrest, the Dean of Academic Affairs, KV Krishna has resigned, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. The IIT Guwahati administration also issued a statement expressing its grief over the incident and the distress it caused within the student community. The institution has promised to prioritise mental health by hiring specialised counsellors and establishing peer support groups. The administration also pledged to conduct a thorough review of safety and emergency response protocols to prevent any such tragedies in the future.
This incident marks the third unnatural death at IIT-Guwahati this year, raising national concerns over student mental health in India’s competitive academic environments. The protests at IIT-Guwahati have cast a spotlight on the need for prioritising student well-being over rigid academic performance measures. The demands for accountability, coupled with allegations of negligence and evidence tampering, have opened up a broader dialogue about mental health in Indian institutions.
