New Delhi, January 22: The Union Education Ministry has constituted a three-member committee to investigate and review the recent student suicide cases at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. The committee will be headed by Professor Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairperson of the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF).
According to an order issued by the Education Ministry on Thursday, the committee will also review the status of compliance with the Framework Guidelines for Emotional and Mental Well-being of Students in Higher Education Institutions issued in July 2023 at IIT Kanpur. Along with this, the availability, adequacy and effectiveness of counselling services, grievance redressal mechanism and other support systems available to students at the institute will be assessed.
The three-member committee includes Professor Anil D. Sahasrabudhe (Chairperson, NETF), Dr Jitendra Nagpal, a senior psychiatrist at Moolchand Hospital, and the Joint Secretary (Higher Education) of the Ministry of Education.
The committee’s mandate includes reviewing the circumstances surrounding the student suicides at IIT Kanpur, examining institutional policies and procedures, identifying gaps in the mental health and well-being framework, and recommending measures to the Ministry of Education to prevent such incidents in the future. The committee may interact with IIT Kanpur stakeholders as needed and may also seek relevant records.
The order states that the committee will submit its report to the Ministry of Education within 15 days. The Ministry reiterated that the mental and emotional well-being of students is given the highest priority and that continuous efforts are being made to ensure a safe, sensitive, and supportive environment in higher education institutions.