IIT Guwahati student mysteriously found dead in hostel room,

IIT Guwahati student mysteriously found dead in hostel room

In the mysterious turn of events, a student from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT) was found dead in the hostel.

India Today Web Desk 

GuwahatiJanuary 26, 2022



The student’s dead body was found inside the hostel room of Kapili Hostel, IIT Guwahati. (Representational Image)

In a bizarre case, a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, was found dead inside his hostel room under mysterious circumstances.

As per the media report, the deceased student has been identified as Prashanta Kumar Arukha. He was pursuing his PhD from the social science and human resources department of the institute. As per reports, he was last seen by hostel members two days ago.

The security personnel at Kapili Hostel, on suspicion of something being wrong, broke open his room, after which the lifeless body of the student was discovered. The university authorities have informed Amingaon Police of the incident.

The body of the deceased has been sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for postmortem and a case of death due to the unidentified cause has been registered by the police.

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58% student suicides in IITs, NITs, central institutions from SC, ST, OBC, minority communities

58% student suicides in IITs, NITs, central institutions from SC, ST, OBC, minority communities

122 students from IITs, NITs, central universities, other central institutions died by suicide over 2014-21, education ministry told Parliament

In October, a fourth-year student of engineering physics died at his hostel at IIT Delhi. (Picture source: Wikimedia Commons)

R. Radhika | Dec 20, 2021 

NEW DELHI: In the past eight years, premier technical institutions and central universities witnessed 58 percent of student suicides from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and minority communities.

Government data presented in Lok Sabha on Monday showed that educational institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) along with central universities saw a total of 122 suicide cases.

A majority of suicides were reported from the Other Backward Castes (OBC), especially in Central Universities, the data presented by the education minister Dharmendra Pradhan showed. A total of 41 students from the OBC community died by suicide between 2014 and 2021. A total of 14 such cases were reported in Central Universities; followed by IITs and NITs with 14 and 11 cases respectively. NITs alone reported a total of 30 student suicides in the same period.

Meanwhile, 37 students died by suicide in Central Universities across India of whom 24 students belonged to the SC community. Other prominent institutions like, IISc Bengaluru and IISER witnessed a total of nine suicide deaths among which four were reserved category students.

Also Read| Over 33% of SC, ST, OBC students drop out in Class 10: UDISE+ Report

Indian Institute of Management or IIMs and other centrally funded institutions recorded five and four such cases respectively.

Suicide cases in education institutions between 2014 to 2021

Click on Caption above to see Table of Suicides

IIT suicide case

According to the ministry of education data, the IITs recorded 34 death by suicides of which 18 were from SC and OBC communities. The IITs have repeatedly come under heavy criticism for caste discrimination with several incidents surfacing in the past few months. Several students in engineering students have reported cases of institutional discrimination and explicit threats from teachers in the recent past.

In April, Seema Singh, a teacher in the humanities and social science department of IIT Kharagpur, was heard hurling abuses at an English preparatory class for Dalit and Adivasi students. IIT Kharagpur eventually suspended Singh but only after a massive public outcry.

Earlier in June, a mechanical engineering student, Hari Prasath, studying in the third year at IIT Delhi died by suicide in his hostel. In October, another fourth-year student of engineering physics died at his hostel in IIT Delhi.

In 2016, the suicide case of Rohith Vemula, a 26-year-old PhD student at Hyderabad Central University emerged as the symbol of protest against caste oppression on campus. Vemula died by suicide after being expelled from the university's housing facility.

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'Stop Mental Torture':

'Stop Mental Torture': 

IIT Madras PhD Scholar Protests Against Harassment At Ministry Of Education, Demands Strict Action 

Writer: Akanksha Saxena 

 (Digital Journalist) India, 20 Jan 2022 Editor : Snehadri Sarkar 

| Creatives : Akanksha Saxena 

Dr Sachida Nand Pandey has been protesting in front of the Ministry of Education for over a week. He holds a PhD degree from IIT Madras and filed a PIL to the Supreme Court, asking for transparency in the faculty recruitment process. India is slowly heading towards becoming an educational hub. Many aspirants around the country aim to get admission in the creme de la creme of colleges that provide the best opportunities. However, their circumstances make it difficult. 

Our country's deeply entrenched caste system is unfortunate in denying students excellent opportunities in such institutions. Not only that, several face communal and regional discrimination that wreak havoc on their studies. 

Recently, a student at IIT Bombay took his own life as he went through mental turmoil. The incident raises many uncomfortable questions about the harassment students to face in premier Indian colleges. 

In light of this, a PhD holder named Dr Sachida Nand Pandey has been protesting in front of the Ministry of Education in New Delhi, demanding some answers and stringent actions against such treatment meted to students in IITs across the country. 

Demanding Transparency In Faculty Recruitment Since the last week, Dr Pandey has been standing in front of the Ministry, with a placard saying 'Stop Mental Torture, Stop Harassment'. He filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to the Supreme Court, where he asked for reservations in IIT faculty placement and to stop mental harassment a student goes through. 

He claims no transparency in the institute's faculty hiring process. "If anyone applies to teach at IIT, they should have a PhD degree. They are needed for several research projects, sometimes urgently. However, many have been hired for useless reasons that leave out those who truly deserve the position," Pandey tells 

The Logical Indian. According to him, the IITs across the country have recruited less than 10% of people from reserved categories for the faculty position, which is lesser than the mandated percentage. 

"The IIT Council tells us that they have recruited a certain number of people to maintain quality. However, the council reveals over 50% of non-performing faculty. They would not have had this problem if they had taken in skilled people for the positions," Dr Pandey explains. 

Discrimination And Mental Harassment

Another important aspect of his agitation is discrimination and harassment. Students do not have it as caste, regional and religious discrimination occurs in these institutes. "A North Indian harasses a South Indian, and vice-versa, this goes both ways. Ultimately, a student is in the middle of all this. All they want is a capable professor to teach them; their religion, caste or region does not matter," Dr Pandey adds. 

Protesting at the Ministry of Education. Apart from this, many students are suffering from mental health problems. Pandey says, "Many people in IIT campuses are struggling with issues like anxiety and depression. It is a stressful and toxic environment. If a student does excellent research, the professors will take all the credit, and if it is the opposite, you will not be employed anywhere. In such circumstances, a young aspirant will always be scared." 

An alumnus from IIT Bombay and Madras, Pandey has also suffered his share of discrimination. He alleged that his name was removed from his projects, and his fellowship was terminated for a year. 

Why Is Supreme Court And Education Ministry Silent? 

Dr Sachida Nand Pandey has been protesting in front of the Education Ministry building since January 7. He filed the PIL to the Supreme Court last year but has not received an answer yet. 

"I took all of these up to the apex court. While they accepted my plea for recruitment transparency, they have not responded to the discrimination bit," he said. Not just Dr Pandey, everybody wonders why are the Supreme Court and the Education Ministry silent on such grave matters. 

The IIT and other premier institutes have steadily increased student suicide cases. 

Not only that, over 7000 students and scholars have dropped out in the last five years. Therefore, the protest goes on with more enthusiasm. 

Dr Sachida Nand Pandey's agitation will go on until he receives concrete answers from the authorities in the form of stern action taken against rampant discrimination and harassment.

https://thelogicalindian.com/inclusivity/iit-discrimination-mental-health-33380

Late IIT-B student was in love with nature, had an artistic side to him

FPJ-Ed: Late IIT-B student was in love with nature, had an artistic side to him

Abhishek Nair

IIT Bombay | iit.ac.in

The 26-year old student, who died by suicide at the IIT Bombay campus, appreciated nature and involved himself in gardening as he was passionate about it.

The student also made a resolution to plant a seed or a sapling last year as he wanted to make every day count.

The boy, who hails from Indore, also had an artistic side to him according to his friends, and loved making sketches, paintings, illustrations, and much more, showcasing vividity in his creations. His attachment with the craft also led him to create fan art influenced by the popular media franchise of Pokemon, which was admired by his peers.

The student, who was completing his Masters in Design from a reputed institute, also had a liking for architecture and frequently created professional building models for a firm.

The postgraduate, who reportedly sought help for mental health issues, allegedly jumped from a balcony on the seventh floor of the hostel situated near the campus's Gymkhana ground, the area has thus been restricted. 

The incident, which happened around 4:30 AM on Monday, led to the arrival of police on the campus and a note was recovered through which he instructed his friend to hand over his phone to brother.

The boy's brother and father reached Mumbai on Monday, while acquaintances of the student who were called up for questioning by police post the incident have been released apparently.

Free Press Journal reached out to IIT-B but no statement has been issued by the institute yet.


(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)Published on: Wednesday, January 19, 2022, 11:15 PM IST

Student Suicides On A All Time Rise - Warns NCRB Data - Logical Indian,

 The Logical Indian Crew 

Student Suicides On A All-Time Rise, Warns NCRB Data 

Writer: 

Simran Sharma India, 18 Jan 2022 9:32 PM Editor : Snehadri Sarkar |

 Creatives : Snehadri Sarkar 

According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau data, India recorded a new high of 12,526 suicides by students.

The percentage has sharply risen by 21.19 per cent since 2019. According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau data, India recorded a new high of 12,526 suicides by students. The percentage has sharply risen by 21.19 per cent since 2019. The data collected since 1995 reveals that more than 1.8 lakh students have committed suicide, of which 2020 has recorded the highest number. The problem of student suicides has been a serious one. With cases increasing every year, finding reasons for it is becoming crucial. 

What Are Experts Saying? 

Out of the 12,526 suicides, nearly 53 per cent (6,598) were from Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Karnataka. The trends show that between 1995 and 1999, student suicides accounted for 5.2 per cent of the total suicides, and this percentage increased to 8.2 per cent in 2020. 

A study reveals that India's large proportion of suicides occurs between the ages of 15 to 29 years. Failure in exams, parental expectations, substance abuse, unemployment, and poverty are common reasons for these suicides. Covid -19 had further worsened the situation.

 Psychologists have pointed out the issue of mental health due to Covid lockdown, staying indoors, and emotional isolation is considered potential reasons. 

Roshni, an NGO helping people with suicidal thoughts, told the Hindu that the number of calls they received saw a big jump in the lockdown time. They received maximum calls from people within the age group of 20 to 45. Past Student Suicides Over the last seven years, a total of 122 students have committed suicide. Roughly half of them belonged to the marginalised castes or tribes. 

Out of the 24 were SC and ST, 41 were OBC's. Many of these students were from IITs and IIMs, Hindustan Times reported. Another such incident happened in Tamil Nadu in 2021. A day after a 19-year-old boy committed suicide before the National Eligibility Entrance Test( NEET), an 18-year-old aspirant also did the same. The police said that the girl was fearful of not clearing the entrance test. 

In a statement, MK Stalin, Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister told that their government would not compromise in any manner in the legal struggle for scrapping NEET, Hindustan Times reported. 

In a recent incident, an IIT Bombay post-graduate student committed suicide by jumping off from the hostel building. As of now, depression is seen as the primary reason for suicide, Times Now reported.

https://thelogicalindian.com/trending/student-suicides-on-a-all-time-rise-shows-ncrb-data-33353

26-year-old IIT Bombay student dies by suicide: Police - Darshan Malviya,

26-yr-old IIT Bombay student dies by suicide: Police

The police said that the deceased had written a suicide note on the white board in his room, stating that no one was responsible for his death.

By: Express News Service | Mumbai |
Updated: January 18, 2022 1:47:37 am

IIT Bombay (File Photo)

A 26-year-old student, who was pursuing post-graduation in the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, died after he allegedly jumped from the terrace of his hostel. The police said that the deceased had written a suicide note on the white board in his room, stating that no one was responsible for his death.

According to police officials, the incident took place at around 4.30 am on Monday, when he allegedly went to the terrace of the hostel to end his life.

“He was accommodated in a room on the fourth floor and he was staying alone in the room, so nobody came to know when he left the room,” said a police officer.

“Activity on campus is not as usual due to the pandemic restrictions. The number of students is lower due to the restrictions,” shared a resident of the same hostel.

The incident came to light when a watchman saw his body. “When he fell on the ground, the watchman heard the sound, after which he rushed to the spot and alerted everyone,” said the officer.

IIT officials, along with other students, rushed him to Rajawadi Hospital, where he was declared dead.

“He had written a note on the white board that was in his room. He wrote that nobody should be held responsible for his death and he has had enough trouble since his childhood,” said an officer.

The police said that the deceased, who was a second-year student of M. Tech, hailed from Indore.

“We have come to know that he was seeking treatment from a psychiatrist since the last three months and we are trying to find out whether he was going through depression since a long time, as his suicide note suggests,” said the officer.

He had joined IIT-Bombay in the middle of the pandemic last year.

He had completed Bachelor in Architecture in Indore, his hometown, before he joined IDC School of Design at IIT Bombay. He was pursuing ‘Communication Design Program’ – a post-graduation course with two-year tenure.

“He was a person with extraordinary talents in design, photography, architecture,” shared an old friend of his.

Powai police said that they have registered a case of accidental death and are investigating to ascertain whether there was any foul play. They said his family has been informed about the incident and they have come to Mumbai.

“A postmortem was conducted and the remains were handed over to the family of the student,” said another officer.

After the incident came to light, a special counselling session was held for residents of this hostel by the Students’ Welfare Centre at the institute.

One of the hostel residents shared, “Even though everybody may not know him personally, living in the same hostel means you know the faces of fellow residents. It definitely is difficult to accept that one of us is no more, and such a tragic incident. It was good to see that the institute took this into account and after a group session for all, students were informed that they could talk to counselors on campus if required.”

While IIT Bombay did not issue an official statement, the PRO stated, “Very unfortunate incident took place at IIT Bombay today morning and we have lost a second-year Masters student. We condole the death of our student.”

According to data shared by Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in the Lok Sabha in December 2021, between 2014 to 2021, a total of 34 cases of suicide were reported in various IITs.

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IIT PhD scholar protests against ‘discrimination’ in IITs in front of education ministry,

IIT PhD scholar protests against ‘discrimination’ in IITs in front of education ministry

Sachchidanand Pandey filed plea in the Supreme Court against students’ suicides, opaque faculty recruitment process, discrimination, corruption in IITs.

IIT PhD scholar is protesting in front of ministry of education against discrimination, harassment against students in IITs (Source: Official Statement)

Vagisha Kaushik 

Jan 13, 2022 - 6:41 p.m. IST


NEW DELHI: Sachchida Nand Pandey, a PhD graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, has been protesting since January 7 in front of the ministry of education over the issues of students’ suicides, alleged mental harassment, research-related corruption, and discrimination in IITs.

Recommended : Get important details about IIT Madras. Download Brochure

Earlier, Pandey filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the IITs to follow reservation policy in admissions in research degree programmes, transparent recruitment process, termination of non-performing professors. The top court has only issued a notice on the reservation issue, he told Careers360.

Also Read | ‘It’s a meat-grinder’: Stress and despair at the IITs

Not only the Supreme Court, the education ministry is also silent over these issues even after writing to the education minister, he said. Pandey has also written to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana demanding reasons for the silence.

In his mail to the CJI, Pandey has accused the professors of IITs of having unprofessional, unsocial, and in-humane behaviour towards students. He claimed that in the past few years, around 100 students have died by suicide and over 7,000 left the institutes without completing their studies owing to “professors’ in-human behaviour, highly stressful and terrifying environment created by IITs managements”.

He further criticised the allegedly opaque and discriminatory recruitment practices in the IITs, alleging that they continue to flout reservation policy formed by the government.

Alleging that discrimination against students in IITs is two-fold, on the basis of caste and region, he declared that IITs have hired “incapable and useless quality of faculty”.

“In 2019, the IIT council accepted that over 50% of professors' performance is below the desired level,” he asserted in his mail.

Also Read | IITs witness 50 suicides in 5 years; 14 at IIT Guwahati alone

Pandey went on to talk about the discrimination and harassment allegedly inflicted on him while he was studying at IIT Bombay and Madras. He alleged that he had had his name removed from research, was removed from high-value projects, stopped from attending international conferences, and had his fellowship terminated for a year.

IITM alumnus who filed plea seeking reservation in faculty recruitments start protest in front of MoE

IITM alumnus who filed plea seeking reservation in faculty recruitments start protest in front of MoE


In the photographs that Pandey had shared with EdexLive, he can be seen masked up and holding a placard saying, "Stop mental torture, stop harassment"

Parvathi Benu



Pandey during the protest (Pic: Sourced)

Sachchida Nand Pandey, a postdoctoral fellow at IIT Bombay and an alumnus of IIT Madras is protesting in front of the Ministry of Education, against

 "alleged discrimination and mental harassment" of students in IITs. 

Pandey had previously filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking to implement reservations in IIT faculty recruitment.

In the photographs that Pandey had shared with EdexLive, he can be seen masked up and holding a placard saying, "Stop mental torture, stop harassment."  He had also written a statement, posing a series of concerns and questions to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, where he said that the SC is silent on "unconstitutional recruitment policy and mental harassment of students." He also accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the MoE on being silent on "academic corruption, racial discrimination and harassment." He also points out the number of student suicides in IITs, the high drop out rate and lack of reservations.

Pandey's petition, that was filed last year, sought to create a mechanism for resolving the research harassment complaints, to constitute a committee of technical experts to review the performance of existing faculty and to cancel the appointment of non-performing faculty "due to violation of reservation norms, formation of transparent recruitment policy."