IIT Kharagpur mulls steps to lessen mental stress on students

Kolkata, In the wake of the unnatural death of three student boarders in IIT Kharagpur campus within a year, the premier engineering institute is mulling steps so that the students don't feel they are under tremendous stress due to academic pressure, an official said on Tuesday.

IIT Kharagpur Acting Director Amit Patra told PTI that discussions are continuing to bring in some reforms in the attendance policy striking a balance between a student's personal well-being and academic performance and a decision will be arrived at very soon.

However, there can be factors on the personal front beyond academic pressure which might trigger mental stress and depression on a youngster's mind for which intensive counselling for his mental well-being is required. A student is encouraged to reach out to the institute for counselling in moments of depression, Dean of Students Bharagava Maitra said.

Asked if the attendance policy will be relaxed, the acting director said, "I am not saying that. What I mean, one teacher might be a little bit strict about attendance percentage while another may be a little lenient without affecting one's academic performance. But every teacher is concerned on the issue of maintaining discipline and academic standards and there is no laxity on that count after a limit".

"In genuine cases, when a student cannot attain the required percentage of attendance due to exigencies on the personal front, the institute always considers his/her situation. Now the Senate will take a call on the ways to bring in reforms in the attendance policy to the benefit of every student without affecting his academic performance and not allowing him/her to take undue advantage," Patra said.

Weekly tests and attendance are prerequisites in the academic calendar of a student. "We have to strike the balance wherever needed without affecting the academic aspects," he said.

Asked if the issue of de-registering any student for not attaining at least 75 per cent attendance percentage will be reconsidered, Patra said, "The Senate meeting will discuss everything. If there is acute mental stress on a student caused due to de-registration that has always been considered on a case-by-case basis.

"Now our highest decision-making body, the Senate, will take stock of the arrangements whether that is enough for the well-being of students and whatever more steps and reforms are needed."

To another query, Patra said the committee, formed among institute stakeholders to look into factors behind the unnatural deaths of students on the campus, has almost been formed and its terms of reference will be announced in a day or two.

The committee has been tasked to examine the institutional support system and environment for hostel boarders in the context of recent tragedies and suggest whatever needs to be done.

On May 4, third-year civil engineering student Md Asif Qamar was found hanging in his hostel room, two weeks after fourth-year ocean engineering and naval architecture student Aniket Walkar was found hanging in his hostel room.

On January 12, the body of a third-year undergraduate student Shaon Malik was found hanging in his hostel room.

In June 2024, Devika Pillai, a fourth-year student of biotechnology and biochemical engineering died by suicide.

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