IIT-Guwahati dean resigns amid protests over death of 21-year-old student
The academic dean of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Professor Kanduru V. Krishna, has resigned following widespread protests over the death of a 21-year-old B.Tech student. The students alleged that the institute had a toxic environment and demanded Krishna's removal. The protests were triggered after the student was found dead in his hostel room on Monday.
Students accuse administration of insensitivity
The deceased student's friends have accused the institute's administration of being insensitive toward students and parents. They claimed that the students were allowed to break open the hostel room door when the body was first noticed. The student, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was studying Computer Science and Engineering at IIT-Guwahati. The protesters claimed that the deceased was suffering from physical and mental health issues, which affected his ability to focus on studies.
Students protest against academic pressure
Despite providing necessary medical certificates, they say his condition was not taken into account leading to increased depression. A protesting student stated, "Despite getting good marks in the examination, many students failed due to short attendance... The administration of IIT-Guwahati has created a toxic environment in the name of academic pressure." This incident marks the third death at IIT-Guwahati this year.
Investigation and mental well-being programs initiated
Exactly one month ago, on August 9, a 23-year-old MTech student from Uttar Pradesh was found dead in her hostel room. In April, a 20-year-old BTech student from Bihar was also found dead in his hostel room in a suspected case of suicide. IIT-Guwahati has now initiated a series of mental well-being programs to help students deal with stress.
