Mumbai: IIT-B Professors Share Experiences To Help Students To Cope With Stress - MId Day

Mumbai: Iit-B Professors Share Experiences To Help Students To Cope With Stress

Nov 11, 2018, 08:10 IST | Pallavi Smart

Institute gets professors to share experiences at IIT to help students cope with stress

Prof Soumya Mukherji chatted up with students at a session in Oct

What does it take to tick at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay? Possibly, just a heart-to-heart conversation between teachers and students. Or at least, that's what the academic council of the institute thinks so. In a novel attempt to reduce stress levels of students, the council has begun organising informal chat sessions between professors and students from IIT-B. The idea is to get the professors to talk about how they coped with the pressures they faced while preparing for the exams.

The new initiative, which kick-started in the last week of October, will be held once every semester, and will be scheduled just before the examinations, when stress levels among students are at their peak.

Sharing the stress
Adarsh Kumar, head of the academic council's Students' Support Group, which launched the initiative, said, "A lot of students are reeling under academic pressure."

Exam stress among IITians has been a pressing issue for a long time now. In September, Jaideep Swain, an MTech student at IIT-B, had committed suicide inside a hotel room. Back in 2015, Jitesh Sharma, a third year chemical engineering student, killed himself, while his examinations were on. 

There have also been a few suicide attempts within the campus. Apart from this, instances of talented students leaving the course abruptly, has also been a cause of worry. All of this compelled the council to look into the issue and find ways to alleviate the stress levels.

While IIT-B conducts regular workshops by experts and counsellors, the informal sessions between the students and teachers was seen as a good starting point to have difficult conversations. "When students discuss their problems with their professors, they are able to cope better," said Kumar. "The students can draw on their professors' life experiences, and understand how to move forward, especially when they are struggling during exams or need career advice," he added.

Sound advice
The first session in the series was held on October 25 with Prof Soumya Mukherji, who has been serving as dean of student affairs for almost three years now. Around 90 students attended the session. "We had planned a few questions to begin the session, but the students were more than enthusiastic to understand the professor's life on campus as a student," said Kumar. Appreciating the initiative, Prof Mukherji, said, "The point is to make these students realise that even their professors have gone through the same s**t and so, academic stress is completely manageable."

A student, who attended the session, said, "It's a different feeling, when someone who has gone through the same situation, tells you that everything is going to be all right."

Mumbai: Social stigma keeps troubled IIT-B students away from counselling - Mid Day

Mumbai: Social stigma keeps troubled IIT-B students away from counselling

By Shreya Bhandary |Posted 10-Nov-2015

- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-social-stigma-keeps-troubled-iit-b-students-away-from-counselling/16668181#sthash.azTy4Lkm.dpuf

A recent article in Insight, the premier institute’s student newspaper, highlights that while the provided facilities need improvement, students too need to take the initiative to ask for help

The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) has stepped up its efforts on providing counseling to students suffering from depression or anxiety. IIT-B made changes to its existing counseling mechanism after observing two suicides and one suicide attempt over the last year.

Even so, the social stigma of undergoing counselling still keeps many students away from the counsellors. A recent article in Insight, the institute’s student newspaper, has highlighted that while the facilities provided by the institute need improvement, students too need to take the initiative to ask for help.

“It’s sad to see that students still don’t approach counsellors when they first start feeling depressed. The competitive atmosphere gets to most of us, especially, since we stay far away from our home. It is important to be vocal about our problems,” said Mihir Kulkarni, one of the editors of Insight.

Loopholes

The article highlights the loopholes, not only in the institute but also in the student community. The mentorship program introduced by IITs across the country — where senior students mentor freshers to help them cope with pressure — has brought about some change.

“The good thing is, that there’s more acknowledgement of stress and pressure amongst the students now, which is very important. But beyond that, we need to address this problem proactively,” added Kulkarni.

Need more counsellors
However, all this still cannot suppress the need for more counsellors on board. At present, IIT-B has two full-time and one visiting counsellor, who visits student hostels and talks to the students regularly. With close to 10,000 students on campus, the three counsellors handle quite a handful, as they meet about 7-8 students everyday.

“The number of students a counsellor sees on a daily basis can vary. But the number of students connecting with the counsellors is showing a steady increase,” said Shivani Manchanda, counselling coordinator at IIT-B. She added that with the new steps taken by the institute, more and more students are sharing their problems.

IIT-B says
While officials at the institute stated that students have not yet approached anyone demanding more counsellors, they didn’t deny the problem. “With three counsellors on board, we are reaching out to as many students as possible. We are still looking to hire more counsellors.

We are already in the process of hiring a fourth counsellor and are also taking active steps to ensure a total outreach program,” said Soumyo Mukherji, student affairs Dean at IIT-B. He added that the management is also in talks to introduce a new counselling center code to the student hostels, but it is yet to be approved.

Recent suicide/attempted suicide cases at IIT-B

June 2015: A 23-year-old MTech student, pursuing degree in Earth Sciences, tried to end his life when he was alone in his room at Hostel 5. His mates claimed that after the initial attempt to commit suicide by hanging failed, he popped some pills. He was immediately rushed to the IIT-B Hospital and later to the Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, where he finally recovered.

May 2015: Jitesh Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student, was found dead on the terrace of one of the hostels on May 2. The 21-year-old was reportedly suffering from depression and had been undergoing counselling for over six months. His body was found around 7 pm on the terrace of Hostel 15-B. He resided in Hostel 8.

September 2014: Aniket Ambhore (22), a fourth-year student pursuing a dual degree in electrical engineering, died after falling from the sixth floor of Hostel 13. Aniket was immediately rushed to Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, where he was declared dead on arrival. It is still unclear whether it was an accident or a suicide.

The PAL system
At IIT-Gandhinagar, the institute started a Peer Assisted Learning system (PAL), three years ago. This system appoints mentors and groups that help students deal with stress and pressure. While helping freshers, the system also involves compensation for the seniors, who get paid Rs 125 per hour.

- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-social-stigma-keeps-troubled-iit-b-students-away-from-counselling/16668181#sthash.azTy4Lkm.dpuf

Why Are So Many IIT Madras Students Trying To Kill Themselves? - India Times

Why Are So Many IIT Madras Students Trying To Kill Themselves?

Kunal Anand

October 19, 2015

An Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) student was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his hostel room this morning. 

If this is confirmed as suicide, the pre-final-year student dual-degree Electrical Engineering will mark what has become a dangerous trend at the IIT.

It would be the second on-campus suicide by a student of the prestigious institution in the last 30 days. Just last month (22 September),  N Narendra Kumar Reddy, a 23-year-old IITian hung himself from his ceiling fan after returning from his village. The M.Tech student was being sponsored by a private construction firm.  

The pressure may have gotten to him

In 2014, IITs saw an estimated 14 student suicides, probably the highest ever across these elite colleges. In May 2015, Jitesh Sharma, a third-year student of chemical engineering at IIT Bombay, allegedly committed suicide, and his note mentioned poor performance in his exams as well as his worry about placements.  The inability to cope - often spiraling into depression - has haunted several students. "The world creates artificial expectations. There's peer pressure, family pressure, societal pressure.

"Unfortunately, for some students, their ambition is centred around pay packages. To their mind, their success will be judged only around their pay packages and placements," says Indranil Manna, director, IIT Kanpur.

Agrees Mohak Mehta, placement manager at IIT Bombay: "There are students blindly taking up computer science and engineering even if they aren't inclined towards it just because that's where the fattest pay cheques are. Parents call up the placement cell to find out the schools or branches getting the top salaries, and that's the one they pressurise their children to join."

Students slip into depression easily

At a leading IIT, a top 50 AIR holder in JEE took up computer science but could not cope with the pressure. He went into depression. "In this competitive environment, when someone starts slipping, stress just keeps building up from there," says a director at a top IIT, who does not wish to be named.

You could have been a topper all your life, but here you may be struggling to get by

"There are students coming into the system thinking that once they've made it to an IIT, things are easy from then on," says Parth Vaswani of IIT Kanpur. "They don't realise it's just the first hurdle. You could have been a topper all your life, but here you may be struggling to get by." Pressure builds up in various ways. There are students who see their batchmates bag coveted internships in the second and third years and suffer from comparison. There are those who have been faring poorly academically. Then there are students from humble backgrounds whose families have sold their land or put in all their savings for what they believe is the ticket to a better life. Some of these students don't even have the time to bond or make friends. "Stress and depression is more prevalent among people who are shy and quiet. There are counsellors on campus but they won't reach out for help," says IIT Bombay's Mohak Mehta.

IITs too have their own systems in place. There are counsellors on board, buddy systems, faculty advisors at hand to look out for students at risk. "We try to make sure there are multiple ways of reaching out to students," says Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director, IIT Madras. "It's not always foolproof but we try and ensure we do everything we can."

Yet, IIT Madras sticks out when looking at news coverage of suicide. Between 2019-2013, it saw 8 suicides

IIT-M director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said they had implemented recommendations of M Anandakrishnan Report on increasing suicides in centrally-funded institutions. "Professional counsellors are available 24 hours a day on the campus and the identity of those seeking help is protected. We also have a mentoring system run by senior students in which a volunteer helps at least seven students individually," he said. 

Many students and professors find these measures quite ineffective.

"Instead of finding the root cause and building a collective support system of students and teachers, the measures implemented here are to silence or control students. Seniors working as mentors for MITR mostly spy on students who smoke or are in relationships," said a fourth year dual degree science student.

"Sir, since I joined in 2009, every year there has been a suicide. As a student I have the right to know about IIT-M's actions to prevent such unfortunate incidents. And even after the introduction of MITR (a guidance and counselling system), the story is same,"  A student wrote in a concerned mail after institute dean (students) L S Ganesh posted a condolence message following the suicide of a first year student.

After a condolence statement, the college has not announced a formal plan to change what it might be doing wrong - and what might be killings its students.

(Inputs from TNN | Economic Times)

Two deaths and an attempted suicide later, IIT-B upgrades on-campus student support system - Mid Day

Two deaths and an attempted suicide later, IIT-B upgrades on-campus student support system

By Shreya Bhandary |Posted 26-Aug-2015

 76 0 1 0 0

Besides deploying counsellors in hostels, institute is allowing families of distressed students to stay with them on campus for a few days; students claim nothing much has changed

In the wake of two deaths and an attempted suicide on IIT-B campus in less than a year, the management has taken steps to ensure that students don’t feel stressed or get bogged down by academic or other pressures.

Representation pic/thinkstock

From hiring counsellors to making arrangements for families of stressed students to stay with them for a few days, the institute is deploying various methods to ensure that students are offered a strong support system.

One such method is the appointment of a counsellor to work from hostels. This counsellor is easily approachable as per students’ convenience. “We realised students felt uncomfortable while visiting counsellors at their offices in the main building, so we made arrangements for a counsellor to work from the hostels.

This counsellor moves form one hostel to another on a rotational basis and ensures more interaction with the students,” said Soumyo Mukherji, dean, student affairs, IIT-B, adding, “Since the counsellor is in the hostel, several students freely approach the counsellor. Some of the students simply visit so that they can chat with the counsellor.”

Currently, two counsellors work on IIT-B’s payroll and the third has been hired on a contractual-basis. According to figures given by institute officials, the number of students seeking help from counsellors has increased over the years. At present, on an average, two different counsellors conduct 120 to 130 sessions a month.

Of these, 25 sessions are dedicated to first timers, while the remaining ones are follow-ups. Officials added the number of students attending group workshops on stress management has increased by over 50 per cent due to word-of-mouth publicity, as most of the workshops have yielded positive results for distressed students.

“There are several measures that we are trying to implement, but most of these are still ideas and we want to ensure they are implemented well and benefit our students. For now, students are busy with the orientation programmes and we want them to know that the institute is always there to help them,” Mukherji said.

Counter view
While the institute claims it is implementing all possible measures to strengthen the support system, students have questioned the impact that the counselling sessions have had. 

“The institute may or may not be responsible in certain cases when students take extreme steps.

But, in case of a suicidal attempt or a death, the administration’s reaction has always been far from what it should have been. There is a need for change in the way our problems are treated. Counselling isn’t the only solution,” said a third-year student.

Cases

June 2015: A 23-year-old MTech student, pursuing degree in Earth Sciences, tried to end his life when he was alone in his room at Hostel 5. His mates claimed that after the initial attempt to commit suicide by hanging failed, the student popped some pills. He was immediately rushed to the IIT-Bombay Hospital and later to the Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, where he finally recovered.

May 2015: Jitesh Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student, was found dead on the terrace of one of the hostels on May 2. The 21-year-old was reportedly suffering from depression and was undergoing counselling for over six months. Sharma’s body was found around 7 pm on the terrace of Hostel 15-B. He, however, resided in Hostel 8.

September 2014: Aniket Ambhore (22), a fourth-year student pursuing a dual degree in electrical engineering, died after falling from the sixth floor of Hostel 13. Aniket was immediately rushed to Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, where he was declared dead on arrival. It is still unclear whether it was an accident or a suicide.

- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/two-deaths-and-an-attempted-suicide-later-iit-b-upgrades-on-campus-student-support-system/16485192#sthash.FYVAEzTZ.dpuf

IIT-Bombay to get more proactive on counselling students Indian Express

IIT-Bombay to get more proactive on counselling students

To discuss with experts structure of a counselling centre an institute like IIT-B needs for its 9,000-odd students.

Written by Mihika Basu | Mumbai | Published:July 24, 2015 1:49 am

Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay.

To move from a ‘mostly reactive’ to more proactive counselling services for its students, the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay will soon consult experts to give shape to a counselling centre best suited for an institute like IIT that has students from diverse backgrounds. The institute saw a suicide in May this year when a chemical engineering student ended his life. 

Another student had committed suicide last year.

The institute currently has two counsellors, besides a person who looks at preventive mental health scenarios through lectures, talks and relaxation camps for students.

According to available information, one of the counsellors usually has 130 to 150 students visiting every month. Some are first-time visitors, and several among them do not have to come back for a second visit. There are some repeat visits, and then there are cases where the issue has been resolved and the student makes one last visit. The other counselor is learnt to have handled around 130 cases last year.

Prof Soumyo Mukherji, Dean of Students Affairs, said the institute would soon hire one more counselor.

The aim is to more effectively address problems affecting

students, which could range from depression and performance anxiety to issues faced while settling in a competitive environment.

“While our counselling services are mostly reactive at present, the idea is to extend them to make them more pro-active. For that, we need to hire more people and we will soon hire one more counselor. Further, we are going to have a meeting with renowned psychiatrist and professor Dr Vikram Patel, along with other experts, psychologists and psychiatrists on the structure and specific requirements of a counselling centre for an institute like IIT-Bombay, which has a student strength of 9,000 from across the country,” said Professor Mukherji.

The body of 21-year-old Jitesh Sharma was found on the terrace of IIT-B’s hostel number 15B in May this year. According to the police, the suicide note said Sharma was worried about the results of his exams and that he feared he might not get a good placement.

The family of another IIT-B student, who died last year after a fall from the sixth-floor balcony of another hostel on the campus, had said he was undergoing treatment for depression.

Among other initiatives, the institute also started a Facebook page, “ICare IITB: counselling and mental health”, earlier this year where both students and faculty members can share their views and problems.

According to officials, it is an attempt to reach out to the students and address their stress, anger and related issues in a friendly, unconventional and non-intimidating way.

mihika.basu@expressindia.com

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/iit-bombay-to-get-more-proactive-on-counselling-students/#sthash.i0yngVLL.dpuf

IIT-B student who tried to end life now stable - TNN

IIT-B student who tried to end life now stable

TNN | Jun 4, 2015, 01.30AM IST

MUMBAI: Barely a month after a student committed suicide at IIT-Bombay, in May, another one, this time a post-graduate student, attempted suicide at the premier institute in Powai on Monday. Though the student is out of danger, hospital sources said he was still under observation as he had suffered head injuries. The student was not undergoing counselling and academics may not be the problem in this case, claimed the institute. Police said the student tried to kill himself in three ways. 

The PhD student from the earth sciences department initially tried to end his life by hanging. But he fell and suffered head injuries. He then slit his left hand and even consumed some pills. Powai police are awaiting the report to know the nature of the pills he consumed. Before taking the extreme step, according to the police, the student had written two suicide notes, one addressed to his parents and another to the police. 

The note was written in Hindi and English. "In the note addressed to his parents, written mostly in Hindi, he told his mother not to worry about his act. He wrote that he was depressed with the routine chores of life and decided to take the extreme step after deep thought," said a police officer. 

The second note, addressed to the police, asked them to treat the case as one of suicide. Powai police senior inspector Y L Jadhav confirmed that two suicide notes recovered from his hostel room. "The note addressed to us said he was taking the decision to end his life on his own and no one should be held responsible. It said there was no need for the cops to probe the matter. The student is undergoing treatment at Hiranandani hospital," said Jadhav. 

Rashmi Kumar, the institute's spokesperson, said the student's brother has arrived from his hometown in Bihar. "Institute officials have been visiting him in hospital and we will extend counselling support too. He is stable now," she said. The student was initially taken to IIT hospital but had to be shifted to Hiranandani as he suffered head injuries. While the institute offers counselling to all students, TOI earlier reported that less than 2% students actually avail of it. 

The CEO of Powai's LH Hiranandani Hospital, Dr Sujit Chaterjee, confirmed that the student was under their care. "He is doing fine now," he said refusing to divulge any more information about the student's health condition. Sources told TOI that he was in the ICU for better monitoring. 

On May 2, Jitesh Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student allegedly committed suicide by consuming poisonous chemicals. He was found dead on the terrace of one of the hostels. In September last year, 23-year-old Aniket Ambhore, also fell to his death from the terrace of one of the hostels.

IIT-Bombay student attempts suicide, saved by hostel mates - Mid Day

IIT-Bombay student attempts suicide, saved by hostel mates

By Shreya Bhandary |Posted 03-Jun-2015

The student’s hostel mates say he tried to hang himself but failed; he then popped some pills and began to scream in pain, alerting other students

A student’s attempted suicide rocked the IIT-Bombay campus on Monday. The 23-year-old student, who was pursuing his MTech in Earth Sciences was rushed to the IIT Bombay Hospital and then taken to to the nearby Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, where he is currently recuperating.

Hostel mates say the student had kept three suicide notes, but Powai police said no note was found. File pic

The incident comes in the wake of two students having allegedly committed suicide on the IIT campus since last September. The student was alone in his room in Hostel 5 when he allegedly attempted suicide. According to his hostel mates, he first tried to hang himself, but was unsuccessful and then immediately popped some pills.

“Due to the reaction of these pills, he started screaming in pain and we rushed to his room. He had a towel tied around his neck so we understood what was happening and immediately rushed him to the hospital on campus.

Also Read: Girl student at IIIT Hyderabad commits suicide

The doctors provided an ambulance which rushed him to Hiranandani Hospital,” said one of the students. The incident took place around 7 am on Monday and he was taken to Hiranandani Hospital around 9 am in an unconscious state. With most students away on vacation, very few are currently on campus.

The student’s roommate, too, was not around at the time of the incident. Some students and two senior officials from IIT-Bombay rushed him to the hospital. “He is originally from Bihar and his brother stays in Delhi. His brother reached Mumbai early on Tuesday morning. We are taking turns to stay with him in case he needs help,” said another student.

When mid-day contacted officials at Hiranandani Hospital, they confirmed that the student was admitted to the ICU on Monday morning. “He was brought in unconscious and a stomach wash was done, which showed some pills. He also had a towel tied around his neck but there are no major marks on his neck.

The pills have been sent for tests to check the substance,” said an official. By late Tuesday evening, students said that their friend was conscious and talking and was moved out of the ICU to the general ward.

Suicide note confusion
The Powai police said no suicide note was found but the the student’s hostel mates told mid-day that three suicide notes were found in his room. “He had addressed one suicide note to his mother, another to the police and the third to the institute authorities.

But we are not clear about what was written in them,” said a student. An official from IIT-B said that one suicide note was found. “It seems he had written that no one was to be blamed for his actions. But only the police will know the details as they checked the room after the incident,” said Rashmi Uday Kumar, IIT-B PRO. The authorities at IIT-B said they are regularly checking on the student’s status at the hospital.

“He is doing decently well academically. We are still not sure why he took the step,” said Kumar. Since this is the third such incident on the IIT-B campus since September last year, questions have also been raised on the counselling of students who are always under pressure to perform well. “Counselling in IIT is an ongoing process. Our counsellors also regularly visit hostels and talk to students to understand their problems if any,” she added.

In the past

September 4, 2014: 22-year-old Aniket Ambhore, a fourth-year student pursuing a dual degree in electrical engineering, died after falling from the sixth floor of Hostel 13. Aniket was rushed to Ghatkopar’s Rajawadi Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. It is still unclear whether it was an accident or a suicide.

May 2, 2015: Jitesh Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student, was found dead on the terrace of a hostel on the campus on May 2. The 21-year-old student was reportedly suffering from depression and had been undergoing counselling for over six months. Sharma’s body was found on the terrace of hostel number 15 B on the campus. Sharma lived in hostel 8.

- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/iit-bombay-student-attempts-suicide-saved-by-hostel-mates/16260166#sthash.pOz8U3Sr.dpuf

IIT BOMBAY LOCKS UP TERRACES AFTER SUICIDE - Mumbai Mirror

IIT BOMBAY LOCKS UP TERRACES AFTER SUICIDE

By Arita Sarkar, Mumbai Mirror | May 13, 2015, 12.00 AM IST

Not fair, say students, as terraces provide much-needed room for relaxation.

Following the suicide of the third year chemical engineering student, IIT Bombay's administration has decided to lock up the terraces for safety reasons. IIT Bombay director Devang Khakker has also constituted a high level committee to introspect on the suicide and give feedback and suggestions. 

Among the favourite hangout spots on campus, the terrace atop the hostel buildings is the getaway haven for the students who wish to unwind, especially in the evenings. 

"I usually make a trip to the terrace almost every day after snack to relax," said a resident of Hostel 11. "Sometimes I read a book or listen to music and chat with a few friends. It's that informal space for casual conversations that is important to every hostel resident." Shutting the terraces, the student said, was not the solution. "Locking the terraces won't solve anything. People always work around restrictions. Without terraces, the hostels only become more claustrophobic," she said. 

The hostel terrace has an emotional connect for a lot of students. Uddipta Chatterjee, a senior PhD student, said: "I proposed to my girlfriend on the terrace. Other students have their first cigarette or meet their first best friends on the terrace. Locking that space away cannot be the solution; instead, the roots of the problem need to be addressed." He added that several students living on the top floor of the hostels often sleep on the terrace at night. 

"The terraces will be kept locked for good," said IIT Bombay spokesperson Rashmi Uday Kumar. "Some of the doors may need locks to be fixed, and the work is in progress." 

Another member of the administration said that all hostel wardens have been instructed to keep a close watch on the terraces and ensure that they stay locked at all times. 

Sources stated that the high level committee which was appointed last week to probe into the suicide comprises the head of the chemical engineering department, senior hostel authorities, and a senior professor. The committee will give their suggestions to Khakker about measures to avoid student suicides. 

Death on campus 

On May 4, third year chemical engineering student0 Jitesh Sharma, 21, committed suicide on the terrace of a hostel by consuming a poisonous chemical called sodium azide. He left a suicide note that said he was under depression caused by academic pressure. 

Less than a year before that, fourth year electrical engineering student Aniket Ambhore, who was also suffering from depression, fell to his death from the sixth floor of one of the hostels.

Foul play ruled out in IIT student’s death - Asian Age

Foul play ruled out in IIT student’s death

May 10, 2015 | Age Correspondent | Mumbai

The police has concluded in its investigation that the 21-year-old IIT-Bombay student found dead on the terrace of a campus hostel recently, committed suicide. It has ruled out foul play after statements of his family members, batch mates, friends and some of the institute’s faculty members did not indicate any conspiracy. All claims converged on the fact that the deceased suffered from depression and was feeling academic pressure.

Jitesh Sharma, from Rohtak in Haryana, who was a third-year chemical engineering student, was found dead on the terrace of hostel 15-B around 7 pm on May 2 on the campus premises along with a bottle of ‘sodium azide’ besides his body, which has now been sent for forensic and chemical analysis at the State Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Kalina. A suicide note written by him read, “I should not have been into this field. I did a mistake by passing JE exam. I have now learnt to be away from my parents (sic).”

While the Powai police is awaiting the forensic analysis’ findings, statements of people close to Jitesh said he had been depressed and was unhappy over his choice of course. “His parents also said that he had already been diagnosed with depression and had been undergoing psychiatric counselling for the last one year. His course mates stated he had become a recluse after failing to clear some of his exams. The counsellor at the institute had also been treating him for depression and corroborated the same to us,” said a police officer.

IIT-B suicide: Cops record statements of youth's kin - DNA

IIT-B suicide: Cops record statements of youth's kin

Sunday, 10 May 2015 - 6:05am IST | Agency: dna 

dna Correspondent

The Powai police investigating the alleged suicide case of a 21-year-old student of IIT-B, who died on May 2, have recorded statements of parents, friends and faculty heads of the institute.

The Powai police investigating the alleged suicide case of a 21-year-old student of IIT-B, who died on May 2, have recorded statements of parents, friends and faculty heads of the institute.

According to the police, during the course of the investigation, they came to know that the deceased, Jitesh Sharma, has been suffering from depression. Officers said the statements given by Sharma's parents have corroborated their findings.

"They have told us that their son had a history of depression and was under medication," said Yadavrao Jadhav, senior inspector of Powai police station.

Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student who hailed from Rohtak in Haryana, was found dead on the terrace of the hostel in the IIT campus. He was said to under depression because of the course he had chosen, which he apparently was not happy with.

Jadhav said, "We have sent samples, including the bottle of sodium azide found near his body, to the Kalina forensic lab and are awaiting reports. The suicide note that Sharma left also indicated that he was tensed about his course."

IIT-Bombay student suicide: Statement of parents, friends recorded - The Hindu

MUMBAI, May 9, 2015

Updated: May 9, 2015 17:06 IST

IIT-Bombay student suicide: Statement of parents, friends recorded

Police have recorded statements of parents, friends and faculty heads of the 21-year-old student of IIT-Bombay, who had allegedly committed suicide on May 2.

“We have completed all the formalities related to the investigation. On the basis of statements recorded, we can say the deceased committed suicide as he showed sufficient signs of depression,” an investigation officer of Powai police station said.

Jitesh Sharma, who hailed from Rohtak in Haryana, a third-year chemical engineering student, was found dead on the terrace of the hostel in campus premises of the IIT, in Powai area, and was apparently depressed with the choice of his academic course.

All samples, including bottle of poisonous substance sodium azide which was found near the body, have been sent to forensic lab in suburban Kalina, the police official said.

“It may take two to three weeks for the report to come,” he added.

The official said that the deceased’s parents revealed that their son had a history of depression and was undergoing treatment for last one year.

“He could not clear few of his exams in last one year and had confined himself. He had become extremely introvert,” he said, adding, Sharma had written a suicide note in both Hindi and English that indicated he was under depression.

“I should not have been into this field. I did a mistake by passing JE exam. I have now learnt to be away from my parents (sic),” the officer said, quoting the suicide note.

Keywords: IIT Bombay student suicide case

Suicide at IIT-B: Panel set up to suggest preventive measures - Indian Express

Suicide at IIT-B: Panel set up to suggest preventive measures

The aim is to ensure that the institute can more effectively address issues of students.

At present, there are two student counsellors and one counselling coordinator on campus, which has a student population of over 8,000.

Written by Mihika Basu | Mumbai | 

Published on:May 8, 2015 2:06 am

After a 21-year-old chemical engineering student of IIT- Bombay killed himself on the terrace of one of the hostels on the campus last week, the institute director has constituted a three-member committee to “deliberate on the unfortunate incident and to suggest preventive measures” for the future.

The aim is to ensure that the institute can more effectively address issues of students, who may be suffering from depression or have problems in settling in a competitive environment.

According to institute officials, the current procedure to identify students who may be having problems on campus, academic or personal, is through inputs that come from fellow students, student mentors, instructors and faculty advisors.

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“Students who demonstrate signs of psychological issues are assessed by the counsellors, who decide if intervention is needed and if so, to what extent. Counselling is usually a long-drawn process, with regular meetings with student counsellors and/or psychiatrists as the case may be. Regular assessment of the student is done in the follow-up visits and he or she is monitored regularly,” said Prof Anindya Datta, Associate Dean (Student Affairs), IIT Bombay.

At present, there are two student counsellors and one counselling coordinator on campus, which has a student population of over 8,000.

Jitesh Sharma’s body was found last Saturday evening at around 7 pm on the terrace of hostel number 15 B in the campus. According to the police, the suicide note stated that he was worried about the results of his exams and was apprehensive about not getting a good placement. According to officials, the student was undergoing regular counselling sessions since the beginning of this semester and hence his parents knew that he was depressed.

Datta further said that currently, friends and batchmates are taken into confidence for academic help and mild social anxiety. “Friends also help in giving a good support structure till a particular point in small adjustment problems. They also help in bringing their friends who are in distress and continue to give feedback in the long run,” he added.

Further, parents of students, who are facing more serious problems and need family support, are contacted and informed of the situation. “If the student needs medical attention, this as a matter of rule is done with the parents in picture and are given advice as per the treating doctor. In case of any discipline-related matter, the parents are kept informed,” said another official.

mihika.basu@expressindia.com

330 - IIT students crumble under study load, expectations from family and peers - Economic Times

IIT students crumble under study load, expectations from family and peers

By Sreeradha Basu, ET Bureau
5 May, 2015, 04.20AM IST

MUMBAI: When Shankar K (name changed) arrived at one of the older IITs a couple of years ago, he became the first person in his family to attend college. His parents had pooled together their life's savings to send him to coaching class and then IIT, and today, the 20-year-old is in his second year of electrical engineering. 

Every day, he says, is a struggle. The pressure to keep up with his grades is taking a toll. So much so, he hasn't had time to make good friends. And with his poor English and communication skills, he fears that landing a good job is going to be a real challenge. 

Stress is part and parcel of college life, but for some students at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs),
it can get overwhelming. 

Stress is part and parcel of college life, but for some students at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), it can get overwhelming. Everything adds up: daunting academic loads, struggling to keep up after a lifetime of being an overachiever and the burden of expectations from family, friends and peers. 

Last year, the IITs saw an estimated 14 student suicides, probably the highest ever across these elite colleges. On Sunday, Jitesh Sharma, a third-year student of chemical engineering at IIT Bombay, allegedly committed suicide. He left behind a note, talking about poor performance in his exams as well as his worry about placements. The inability to cope - often spiraling into depression - has haunted several students. "The world creates artificial expectations. There's peer pressure, family pressure, societal pressure.

Unfortunately, for some students, their ambition is centred around pay packages. To their mind, their success will be judged only around their pay packages and placements," says Indranil Manna, director, IIT Kanpur. 

Agrees Mohak Mehta, placement manager at IIT Bombay: "There are students blindly taking up computer science and engineering even if they aren't inclined towards it just because that's where the fattest pay cheques are. Parents call up the placement cell to find out the schools or branches getting the top salaries, and that's the one they pressurise their children to join." 

At a leading IIT, a top 50 AIR holder in JEE took up computer science but could not cope with the pressure. He went into depression. "In this competitive environment, when someone starts slipping, stress just keeps building up from there," says a director at a top IIT, who does not wish to be named. 

"There are students coming into the system thinking that once they've made it to an IIT, things are easy from then on," says Parth Vaswani of IIT Kanpur. "They don't realise it's just the first hurdle. You could have been a topper all your life, but here you may be struggling to get by." Pressure builds up in various ways. There are students who see their batchmates bag coveted internships in the second and third years and suffer from comparison. There are those who have been faring poorly academically. Then there are students from humble backgrounds whose families have sold their land or put in all their savings for what they believe is the ticket to a better life. Some of these students don't even have the time to bond or make friends. "Stress and depression is more prevalent among people who are shy and quiet. There are counsellors on campus but they won't reach out for help," says IIT Bombay's Mohak Mehta. 

Anonymity helps, says Richa Singh, an IIT Guwahati alumnus who started a crowdfunded online platform called Your D.O.S.T. to provide emotional support. They have over 30 counsellors on board so people can reach out anonymously and vent their feelings online. 

While providing an enterprise solution at IIT Guwahati, 360 students signed up within the first 10 days. Around 100 queries came in ranging from difficulty in concentrating on their studies and poor grades, to apprehensions about not getting placed. Singh says she is in talks with other IITs to implement the initiatives there as well. 

IITs too have their own systems in place. There are counsellors on board, buddy systems, faculty advisors at hand to look out for students at risk. "We try to make sure there are multiple ways of reaching out to students," says Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director, IIT Madras. "It's not always foolproof but we try and ensure we do everything we can." 

Read more at:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/47156004.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

329 - IIT looks to better its counselling services - TNN

IIT looks to better its counselling services

Yogita Rao,TNN | May 4, 2015, 11.52 PM IST

MUMBAI: IIT-Bombay will set up a committee to look into the changes that need to be brought about in the counselling services offered by the institute. The move came after a third-year chemical engineering student, Jitesh Sharma, committed suicide on Saturday. 

Sharma had been undergoing treatment for depression for a year over his mounting backlogs in previous years, said the police. The institute plans to bolster the practices followed on campus to help students deal with such problems. 

A new initiative, though not related to the Saturday incident, aims at improving students' competency in English language as it will also help them comprehend the syllabus better. 

Officials are toying with the idea of offering English as a formal course to all freshmen on the campus. It is just one of the solutions that a panel of students and professors will be discussing this week in a meeting. 

Students' feedback over their competency in the English language and their expectations from the institute is also being sought in the form of a survey. 

Though the process to set up the committee and hold discussions was initiated some time ago, the first meeting of the committee will be held on Thursday. The students' media body on campus, Insight, has sought feedback from the students on behalf of the institute. 

The Insight post on Facebook read: "It is well known that the language barrier is one of the key issues hampering students in IIT-Bombay. Students coming from different backgrounds and different corners of the country have to face the burden of a common medium of instruction- English. The institute recognizes this issue and is keen on providing support and resources to students. A committee has been set up to find a permanent solution to the problem." 

Shubham Goyal, the general secretary of academic affairs, said informal initiatives had always been taken in the past but the latest initiative would be more formal. "We have sought information from students on whether they need help in reading, writing, speaking skills," Goyal said. 

Sharma's body was flown back to Rohtak on Monday morning, said a source on the campus. 

DCP Vinayak Deshmukh said the blood sample would be sent for forensic analysis. 

The officer said that the post-mortem report was yet to come in and that there was no complaint registered by the parents. 

Director Devang Khakhar said the institute would soon be setting up a committee to find what more could be done. 

A professor said more people on the campus should be equipped to identify warning signs at an early stage of depression. 

327 - ‘Depressed’ over poor grades, IIT Bombay student kills self - TNN

‘Depressed’ over poor grades, IIT Bombay student kills self

Vinamrata Borwankar, TNN | May 4, 2015, 03.18AM IST

MUMBAI: A 21-year-old student of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) was found dead on a hostel terrace on Saturday evening. Jitesh Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student was believed to be depressed due to academic stress. He also left a note, the police said.

IIT officials said the body was found on the terrace of hostel 15 though he was a resident of hostel 8. "A student, who was taking a walk on the terrace, spotted him on the terrace and informed the security. There was froth coming out of his mouth and cold drink bottles were lying near him. He was rushed to the IIT-Bombay hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. We have counselled his friends and the student who found the body. His friend said he appeared normal on Saturday morning," said an IIT spokesperson.

READ ALSO: 'Efforts to prevent suicides remain ineffective at IITs' 

Preliminary police investigation revealed that Sharma, who hails from Rohtak in Haryana, had consumed a poisonous substance from the institute laboratory. "Since he was a chemical engineering student he used a sodium-based poisonous chemical from his lab. The post-mortem report is awaited. His parents were aware about his condition," said DCP Vinayak Deshmukh. The police have registered a case of accidental death.

Sharma usually kept to himself and didn't interact much. "The suicide note stated that he regretted passing JEE exam to make it to IIT. He wrote that his parents have been living alone and will now live alone in the future as well," said a police official. "He had previous subjects to clear and was depressed and was taking psychiatric treatment for the past one year."

IIT-Bombay director Devang Khakhar said it could not just be about academics. "Though he was poor in his academic performance he was coping with it. It has more to do with his emotional status," said Khakhar. He added that Sharma was in his third year so there was no fear of expulsion either.

Sharma who was scheduled to go home two days before the incident missed his train, claimed hostel mates. "He was to go home two days before but returned to the hostel saying he had missed the train as his cab's tyre got punctured. He seems to have deactivated his Facebook account too, as we are unable to access it since last night," said a student who lives in the same hostel.

READ ALSO: IIT-Hyderabad student commits suicide in University of Hyderabad hostel 

"Initially he had fail grades in his first year and he was given a mentor. He had shown improvement after that. His head of department and family had extended great support to him," said the spokesperson. Though the authorities claimed that he was depressed due to his poor academic performance, his hostelmates said that he did not show any signs of depression.

According to sources, Sharma has been a loner but took part enthusiastically in extra-curricular activities. "He was very active on campus in extra-curricular activities but he did not have many friends. He shared his room with a senior student last year but he moved into a single room, he (Sharma) was living alone," said a student. He was working with the institute's placement cell as the associated placement co-ordinator and also actively participated in cultural events. He even submitted a script on a film on their hostel in the past.

326 - IIT Bombay student found dead on hostel terrace, leaves behind a note - IBN Live

May 03, 2015 at 08:33pm IST

IIT Bombay student found dead on hostel terrace, leaves behind a note

Shawan Sen, CNN-IBN

@ibnlive

Mumbai: A third year chemical engineering student from IIT Bombay was found dead on the hostel terrace on Saturday evening.

The student, 21-year-old Jitesh Sharma, originally from Rohtak, was found along with a note. According to sources, it is a case of suicide.

The suburban Powai police was subsequently informed. Police reached the spot and sent the body for postmortem on Sunday morning.

A suicide note purportedly written by the student was found near the his body which indicates that he was depressed.

"Prima facie, the student is suspected to have consumed some poisonous substance, but it can only be ascertained after we get the medical reports," an officer at Powai police station, who is investigating the matter, said.

An accidental death report (ADR) has been registered and further investigation is on into the matter, he said.

"Today being a holiday, we are unable to contact his friends and faculty heads. But as soon as the classes resume, we would try to get details about his academic and social performance," he said. "He has written a suicide note in Hindi and English that shows he was under depression," the investigating officer said, adding that the student was apparently unhappy with the choice of his academic course.

The suicide note purportedly reads: "I should not have been into this field. I did a mistake by passing JE exam. I have learnt to be away from my parents."

The student's father has been informed about the incident, the officer said.

Jitesh was apparently not doing well in studies and was yet to clear a few subjects of previous semesters, he said as per information gathered from his friends.

This is the second death reported in less than a year on the campus.

(With Input from PTI)

325 - Campus dealt a death blow - Asian Age

Campus dealt a death blow

May 04, 2015 | Age Correspondent

Sharman Joshi in a still from 3 Idiots, a film that addressed student suicides

Student suicide has been a burning issue and counsellors believe that there needs to be greater awareness about depression itself

Jitesh Sharma, a student of IIT-Bombay, was found dead on the terrace of a hostel on the campus on Saturday evening. The 21-year-old chemical engineering student was reportedly suffering from depression. News reports further suggested that he was unhappy with his academic choices; and he even indicated in his suicide note that he was depressed. This is the second case in the campus in less than a year. In September last year, Aniket Ambhore, jumped to death from the sixth-floor balcony of a hostel on the campus.

Student suicide has been a burning issue and counsellors and psychiatrists believe that there needs to be greater awareness about depression itself. Often, displacement and the need to constantly prove themselves creates turmoil. The issues could range from a burn out, homesickness or students thinking that they are not in the right place or the right field.

Prachi Chitre, counselor at Institute of Psychological Health, observes, “Students often find themselves in a continuous battle of constantly having to prove themselves to their family, friends, and faculty. They want to live up to others’ expectations and make sure that nobody thinks that they got into the institution just by chance. Also, when students come from smaller cities to study in a big city like Mumbai, they experience a culture shock and cultural differences may become a matter of conflict between them and their peers. They may find it difficult to fit in and hence, may experience isolation and loneliness. This in turn gives rise to an inferiority complex. All this just becomes a fatal mix.”

The IIT-Bombay campus currently houses 8,000 students with an active counseling cell, with a clinical psychologist and a full-time counselor; round the year workshops on stress-management and even an IIT-B care health page on Facebook. 

However, these initiatives seem to fall short. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty says, “I’m not putting the blame on IIT-Bombay but more such projects need to be undertaken by the college. 

With at least 8,000 students on campus, they probably need to put in more efforts.” Paras Sharma, programme coordinator for the pan-India psycho-social counselling helpline iCALL, says, “Students often shy away from seeking help because they are worried that someone may come to know about it, or their parents would come to know about it. Even calling a suicide-prevention helpline is still a struggle. People should be made more aware of this issue.”

Rashmi Uday Kumar, public relations officer for IIT-Bombay also admits that while measures have been taken, a lot still needs to be done. She says, “We do have a counseling centre and training counselors visiting the campus. We also have an IIT B-Care health page where we have been getting good response. Since it is voluntary, not everyone has shown interest in these sessions. It is unfortunate that the boy decided to end his life. He wasn’t doing well in studies but he was improving academically, and that is what makes it more shocking.”

Savita Pawar, parent to a 23-year-old, explains that maybe open communication between a parent and a child coupled with no burden of expectations would help understand the child’s aspirations. She says, “As parents, maybe we need to put ourselves in their shoes and judge things from their perspective.”

Symptoms of depression

The person in question could be irritable or even casually talking about death

They could spend a lot more time sleeping

They also develop a tendency to avoid people

They display a general lack of enthusiasm in everyday activities

It is also important to pay attention to what they are saying.

A person who is at a risk of committing suicide generally tries to communicate that he/she needs help. Therefore, warning signs should never be ignored.

(Inputs by Dr. Harish Shetty and Prachi Chitre)

A report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in September 2014 states:

India’s suicide rate was 21.1 per 1,00,000 people, according to the report.

India accounted for the highest estimated number of suicides overall in 2012.

Over 800,000 people commit suicide every year and it is the second leading cause of death in 15-29 year olds globally.
Source: Preventing suicide:
A global imperative; www.who.int

324 - 21-year-old commits suicide at IIT Powai - Free Press Journal

21-year-old commits suicide at IIT Powai

— By Staff Reporter | May 04, 2015 02:55 am 

Mumbai :  A 21-year-old youth allegedly committed suicide at 6.45 pm on Saturday evening on the terrace of IIT Powai by consuming an unidentified chemical substance. The deceased, hailing from Haryana, has been identified as Jitesh Sharma who was a third year B-Tech chemical engineering student.

An officer from Powai police station, where an accidental death report has been registered, said that Sharma had been depressed for the past one year. “From the preliminary investigation, we found out that the youth’s performance in academics was not to his satisfaction and he was depressed for over a year. Also, the father confirmed that his son was going through counseling sessions for the same,” said the officer. Sharma’s body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to Rajawadi hospital, and samples of the chemical substance have also been sent for testing to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina.

“Our investigation is underway and we are waiting for the post-mortem report and testing samples. Also, we found out from his friends that he used to stay aloof and never discussed his problems with anyone,” the officer further added.

The youth is survived by his father, mother and a younger brother. His friends said that, “he appeared normal on Saturday morning and they didn’t notice anything wrong. Late evening, around 6.45 pm, they found him lying on the floor of the terrace and foam was coming out of his mouth.”

Sharma was then rushed to a local hospital in IIT Powai where he was declared dead before admission. A spokesperson for IIT Powai said, “His parents reached Mumbai on Sunday morning and the cause of his death is still unknown. It will be clear only after the post-mortem. We will hand over his body to the parents after the post-mortem.”

323 - IIT-Bombay student commits suicide under severe depression - PrepSure

IIT-Bombay student commits suicide under severe depression - 

May 04, 2015 3:32 PM

A 21 year old IIT-Bombay student committed suicide in hostel at Indian Institute of Technology, Powai on May 03, 2015. The deceased was a chemical engineering student at IIT, Powai. Jitesh Sharma (21), who hails from Haryana, was allegedly found dead on the terrace of the institute’s hostel last evening by his friends. The suburban Powai police was subsequently informed.

Police reached the spot and sent the body for postmortem this morning on May 04. A suicide note purportedly written by the student was found near the student’s body which indicates that he was depressed, they said.

“Prima facie, the student is suspected to have consumed some poisonous substance, but it can only be ascertained after we get the medical reports,” an officer at Powai police station, who is investigating the matter, said.

An accidental death report (ADR) has been registered and further investigation is on into the matter, he said.

“Today being a holiday, we are unable to contact his friends and faculty heads. But as soon as the classes resume, we would try to get details about his academic and social performance,” he said.

“He has written a suicide note in Hindi and English that shows he was under depression,” the investigating officer said, adding that the student was apparently unhappy with the choice of his academic course.

The suicide note purportedly reads: “I should not have been into this field. I did a mistake by passing JE exam. I have learnt to be away from my parents.”

The student’s father has been informed about the incident, the officer said. Jitesh was apparently not doing well in studies and was yet to clear a few subjects of previous semesters, he said as per information gathered from his friends.

Input from PTI

322 - Exam stress drives IIT boy to 'suicide' - The Telegraph, Kolkata

Exam stress drives IIT boy to 'suicide'

The Telegraph, Kolkata

Monday, 04 May 2015 08:34 AM

Mumbai: A third-year BTech student was found dead in an IIT Bombay hostel last night, with a purported suicide note citing academic stress, police said.

Budding chemical engineer Jitesh Sharma, 21, who was from Rohtak in Haryana, had been undergoing counselling for depression, fellow students told The Telegraph.

His body was discovered on the terrace of hostel No. 15 on the IIT Bombay campus at Powai, about 25km from Mumbai. Officers said Jitesh stayed at a different hostel, half a kilometre away.

"He has left a suicide note but we will only come to a definite conclusion about the cause of death after post-mortem," said a sub-inspector at the IIT chowki (post) of Powai police station.

"A container of sodium azide acid, a highly corrosive poison, was found beside his body.... Jitesh had not done well in two exams on April 24 and April 25 and was worried about his placements. He says all this in the suicide note."

Sodium azide is an industrial chemical used in car airbags and as a preservative, among other things, and is highly toxic.

A PTI report quoted a Powai police station officer as saying: "An accidental death report has been registered and further investigation is on."

The agency, which said Jitesh was yet to clear a few subjects from his previous semester, quoted from the purported suicide note: "I should not have been into this field. I did a mistake by passing JE exam. I have learnt to be away from my parents."

In the 2010 movie 3 Idiots, an engineering student named Joy Lobo who is on the verge of failing an exam because of an unfinished project commits suicide.

Jitesh's batch-mates said he had watched the film, like almost all IITians.

"Every IITian can empathise with Joy Lobo but I can't say whether it egged him (Jitesh) on to commit suicide. That would be too far-fetched," an MTech student of electrical engineering at IIT Bombay, who is from Calcutta and knew Jitesh, said.

He said Jitesh's family and friends knew he was undergoing psychiatric counselling for depression.

"He often spoke about academic stress. The IITs put us under incredible stress, and the sheer weight of the assignments does not allow students to sleep more than 3 to 4 hours," said the student, who didn't want to be named fearing involvement in police investigations.

"Plus, after all the toil of the Joint Entrance Examination, if you feel you are not in love with the subject you aspired to read, it can really be very depressing."

He added: "If the police think I knew something about Jitesh, they would certainly question me. That would mean giving them time that I can't afford under current academic pressure...."