Suicide spree: IIT-Kharagpur to get professional counsellors - Indian Express

Suicide spree: IIT-Kharagpur to get professional counsellors

The recent spate of suicide incidents taking place inside the campus of IIT- Kharagpur has forced the authorities to involve professional counsellors to help students cope up with stress.

Written by Shiv Sahay Singh | Kolkata | Published on:July 17, 2009 3:58 am

The recent spate of suicide incidents taking place inside the campus of IIT- Kharagpur has forced the authorities to involve professional counsellors to help students cope up with stress.

“The counselling centre has a broader objective. It will not only look after the academic side but will see whether the students are suffering from any personal stress,” said D Gunasekaran, Registrar IIT-Kharagpur.

Gunasekaran said that apart from the faculty members who will counsel the students,professional counsellors would be hired to help the students de-stress. The institute has already placed an advertisement for hiring professional counselors but before it finalises on it,the faculty members will serve as counsellors.

Institute officials say all the suicide incidents are not related to academic stress as there are a number of cases where the students took the extreme step because of personal problems.

According to faculty members,students join the institute at a very young age — 18 and 19 years old — and thus they suffer from home sickness. “So it is necessary for the institute to ensure that students do not feel isolated,” they said.

They added that the previous concept of faculty members as counsellor has not worked and hence it was decided to hire a professional counsellor.

Experts say that those who join the IITs have to go through tough competition and are prone to depression and stress even if they face slight rejection or failure. “The students do not have an aptitude for a job but they are keen to get it only because of peer pressure. The students sometimes suffer from rejection factor when they fail to qualify the interview,” said Prof B K Mathur,a professor of physics and the placement head of the institute.

Mathur added the counsellors will also help the student choose the right kind of job.

“The counselling centre can help a student who has an inclination towards core sciences take a job in that discipline rather than going for software since his peers have done so,” said Mathur.

The institute houses around 8,000 students in its campus that is spread over 2,100 acres.

3 and counting… 

April 23: K Ramananda Rao a fourth-year chemical engineering student committed suicide. According to fellow students,he was not doing well in academics.

June 15: Manoj Kumar,a first-year student,committed suicide. The dead body was recovered a few days after he committed suicide as most of the students were away on vacation.

July 15: Yogendra Kumar Singh,a student who secured 400 rank in this years IIT entrance test,committed suicide. According to reports,he was keen on joining some other institute.

IIT-B’s advisory to parents may be ‘net’ loss for students - Indian Express

IIT-B’s advisory to parents may be ‘net’ loss for students

IIT Bombay,stating that students tend to get distracted by excessive gaming or internet browsing,has written to parents

Written by Mihika Basu | Mumbai | Published on:July 16, 2013 1:01 am

IIT Bombay,stating that students tend to get distracted by excessive gaming or internet browsing,has written to parents of those who will join the institute this year,advising them not to provide their children with computers for the first semester.

“It has been observed that students with laptops/computers in their first semester are distracted by excessive gaming/internet and don’t experience all that the institute has to offer. We would,therefore,suggest against providing your wards with laptops for the first semester,since computer facilities for academic needs are adequately available in the institute. However,in case you feel that he will be able to learn better with a laptop/computer at his disposal,we leave it to your discretion,” says the letter.

“It is an advisory arrived at in consultation with student representatives,” said Prof Urjit Yajnik,dean of student affairs at IIT Bombay.

The letter also cautions parents against putting undue pressure on their wards to get good grades. “Students who enter this institute every year are some of the best brains in the country. Due to the competitive environment here,we have often experienced cases where students,who until then had always topped their class,found it difficult to get grades that meet their expectations. This has often led to one of two extremes: some students face excessive parental pressure,while others simply adopt an indifferent attitude,which further reduces their academic performance,” it says,adding “we hope that you would encourage your ward to put his/her best foot forward,treat the best effort from his/her side as the objective,rather than the results”.

The letter covers various aspects,including academic and hostel life,financial help and details of the institute student mentor programme for first-year students. While the letter says transition from a caring home life to the competitive environment of IIT could “occasionally cause adjustment problems” initially and that sometimes social,cultural and language differences could delay the settling process,it also assures parents that mentors help freshmen have a smooth transition.

“Ragging in any form is strictly banned on the campus. Strict penalties are in place,and mentors are always available to resolve any situations promptly. Rest assured,ragging has all but vanished from IIT Bombay. It is,however,expected that freshmen develop a healthy rapport with seniors… In fact,a healthy senior-junior interaction has been the hallmark of this institute,” says the letter.

It says that students can fit in both academics and extra-curricular activities without much stress at IIT Bombay,but proper time management is a must to ensure studies are not neglected. The letters says that the purpose of sharing various issues is to make parents aware of the academic and extra-curricular life of students. “As parents,you need not be alarmed,but mental preparation and precautionary measures would definitely help,” it concludes.

mihika.basu@expressindia.com

IIT-B starts ‘mentorship’ programme to help freshers settle in - Indian Express

IIT-B starts ‘mentorship’ programme to help freshers settle in

Through SMP, the institute will get feedback from students, faculty and officials on a regular basis to make campus life comfortable

Written by Dipti Singh | Mumbai | 

Updated: June 23, 2014 1:36 am

In a bid to guide freshers and discourage ragging, senior students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) have started a forum and a mentorship programme wherein seniors will help freshers settle into the institute and solve their problems while on campus.

According to some seniors, the initiative is also aimed at keeping track of disturbed and distressed freshers and stop them from taking extreme steps owing to academic pressure.

Elaborating on the initiative, Shrey Singh, a fourth-year student of the metallurgy department who is also a part of this Students Mentorship Programme (SMP), said the initiative will prove to be very useful to both freshers and seniors.

“According to the students of IIT-B, one of the biggest dilemmas they have faced in their lives is what branch and which IIT they should choose after clearing the JEE. Students generally blindly follow status quo and choose a branch based on unreliable information or even worse, on their JEE ranks,” said Singh.

To address this issue, the Mentorship team SMP has come up with a website – http://sites.google.com/site/iitbinfo/– to disseminate information to students that will help them choose their branch, he added. This website has been updated with the relevance, curriculum and general job portfolios of every department to help students make a better and more informed choice.”

“The forum and programme have dual benefits. On one hand, it will enable the institute to solve problems faced by new students who find it difficult to adjust and acclimatise to the new environment, and secondly, it will enable seniors like us to learn troubleshooting and problem-solving techniques,” said Singh.

According to members of the SMP, some of the problems new students face in the institute are minor, but their inability to address them over a long period of time can lead to frustration and depression, which can result in students taking drastic measures.

“Through SMP the institute will get feedback from students, faculty and officials on a regular basis. Freshers can ask anything or share anything they want with their mentors and it will be addressed,” said an official from the student relations department.

“SMP is the ideal platform for freshers to interact among themselves and with seniors. All doubts regarding admission procedures, infrastructure and anything the freshers can possibly think of are asked without hesitation, and cleared with pleasure. Exposure to such activities will help us make campus life easy and comfortable for all the new students who have put in immense efforts to get into the institute,” said Singh.

dipti.singh@expressindia.com

First Published on: June 23, 20141:35 am

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.

RELATED

• Iit-B Starts ‘Mentorship’ Programme To Help Freshers Settle In
• Iit-B’S Advisory To Parents May Be ‘Net’ Loss For Students
• Suicide Spree: Iit-Kharagpur To Get Professional Counsellors

“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. 

328 - Upset over falling grades, IIT Bombay student commits suicide - IBN Live

Upset over falling grades, IIT Bombay student commits suicide

Shreya Dhoundial, CNN-IBN | May 04, 2015 at 09:29pm

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http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/543733/upset-over-falling-grades-iit-bombay-student-commits-suicide.html

In a shocking incident, a 21-year-old IIT Bombay chemical engineering student killed himself by consuming a poisonous substance as he was allegedly upset over his falling grades. The suicide note left by the student said, 'I should not have been in this field. I made a mistake by passing the Joint Entrance Exam.'

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...."

321 - DEPRESSED IIT-B STUDENT COMMITS SUICIDE - Mumbai Mirror

DEPRESSED IIT-B STUDENT COMMITS SUICIDE

Mumbai Mirror | May 4, 2015, 08.18 AM IST

By Arita Sarkar and Ankita Bhatkhande

A 21-year-old student of IIT Bombay in Powai, Jitesh Vijay Sharma, committed suicide on the terrace of one of the institute's hostel buildings on Saturday evening. A third year student of chemical engineering, Sharma left a suicide note in his room stating that he was under depression.

Prima-facie investigations by the Powai police revealed that Sharma had consumed a poisonous chemical called sodium azide and some bottles of chemicals were found at the spot, which the police have sent to the forensics. 

The police found Sharma's suicide note in his room written in Hindi, wherein Sharma had mentioned that he was soon to be placed in a good company but was worried about scoring less in his exams. The note also stated that Sharma is taking this step of his own will, the police said. 

While Sharma's classmates said he was academically weak and had backlogs in a few subjects, IIT officials said that he was suffering from depression and was seeking psychiatric help from the IIT counsellor, Amita Tagare. " His parents knew about his condition and the counsellor had told them to visit their son more often. He did show improvement in his academics," said an IIT official. 

Though Sharma was a resident of Hostel 8, his body was found on the terrace of hostel 15 by a first year computer engineering student around 6:30 pm on Saturday. His body was then taken to the hospital in the institute premises where he was declared dead on arrival. "The body was later taken to Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar for post mortem," said a fourth year chemical engineering student on condition of anonymity. 

Sharma's classmates described him as "a quiet and an introvert guy who hardly hung out with his classmates or partied". 

The IIT Placement cell confirmed that he was the Associate placement coordinator at the institute and was also the coordinator of the E-Cell of the college. Students from Sharma's hostel stated that Sharma was supposed to leave for Rohtak, his hometown, on Saturday. 

IIT PRO Rashmi Uday Kumar said that the institute was shocked about the incident. "The student was academically weak, but was showing improvement. The institute's administration will have an internal deliberation on what can be done to prevent such an incident in future," Kumar said. 

Sharma's body was handed over to his businessman father and his uncle.The police said the body will then be taken to his house in Rohtak, Haryana.The police are now investigating the CCTV footage of both Sharma's as well the hostel where he consumed poison. 

IIT-Bombay had strengthened its counselling facilities after a similar incident occurred in September last year. A fifth year student Aniket Ambhore, who was also suffering from depression, fell to death from the sixth floor of one of the hostels. 

Apart from a new Facebook page for online counselling, the institute has also started a new counselling office to ensure privacy of the students seeking help from IIT counsellors.

320 - IIT-B student kills self, found on hostel terrace - Asian Age

IIT-B student kills self, found on hostel terraceMay 04, 2015 | Age Correspondent | Mumbai

Jitesh Sharma, a third-year chemical engineering student in IIT-B, committed suicide by consuming poison on Saturday on the terrace of one of the hostels that is located on the campus. While a suicide note has been recovered from the student’s room, neither the institute nor the police are divulging its contents. According to students living in the hostel where Sharma lived, he was under pressure due to the Failing Rates (FR) and had also failed to secure internship; hence he could have taken the drastic step.

According to IIT students, they came to know about Sharma’s death through social messaging applications. However, the fact that he committed suicide in another hostel has baffled all of them.

“Jitesh’s room was in hostel 8. Though he was not doing well in his studies he used to take active part in other extra curricular activities,” said another third-year chemical engineering student. The student added that Jitesh had not fared well in the previous semester and was worried about getting FRs in the recently concluded exams also.

“His name did not feature in the internship list. That coupled with the FRs could have caused him to go into depression and take the extreme step,” said another student.

Third-year students said that after Jitesh was nowhere to be seen, his friends went searching for him and after being told that he was seen going towards hostel 15 they went to look for him there. “Messages on the students’ group on Whatsapp say that Jitesh’s friends found him on the terrace of hostel 15 frothing from the mouth. They rushed him to a local hospital where he was declared dead,” said another student. The student added that everyone was debating as to why Jitesh went to hostel 15, which is meant for freshmen, to commit suicide.

The police confirmed that Jitesh had consumed some poisonous substance. His parents also came to Mumbai from Rohtak after they were informed of their son’s death on Saturday.

319 - Mumbai: Chemical engg student at IIT-B kills self with poison - Mid Day

Mumbai: Chemical engg student at IIT-B kills self with poison

By Sailee Dhayalkar |Posted 04-May-2015

 156 129 2 0 0

The 21-year-old, a third-year student, allegedly committed suicide on Saturday by consuming sodium azide; a suicide note found in his room said he was depressed and regretted his choice of stream at the prestigious institute

IIT-Bombay was witness to yet another suicide when a third-year student of the Chemical Engineering cohort allegedly killed himself by consuming poison on Saturday. According to the institute, the students was struggling academically and a suicide note found in his room states the student was depressed and regretted coming to IIT.

According to the public relations officer at IIT-Bombay, the deceased student was struggling academically. 

File pic

The deceased was identified as Jitesh Sharma (21), originally a resident of Rohtak in Haryana. According to the police, Sharma allegedly killed himself by drinking a chemical called sodium azide, and was found dead on the terrace of hostel number 15, which is half a kilometre away from hostel 8, where Sharma used to stay.

A fellow student found Sharma near the terrace lift between 6.30 pm and 7 pm on Saturday. When he was unable to wake Sharma up, he informed the institute authorities and Sharma was taken to the campus hospital, where he was declared dead. The police were also informed.

Depressed
A suicide note written in Hindi was also found from Sharma’s room. Rajeev Chauhan, police inspector, Powai police station, said, “The suicide note said he was depressed, as he was not doing well in studies. (It said) He regretted his choice of academic course (at IIT).”

Sharma is said to have been a quiet boy and not very social, and was also undergoing counselling with the campus psychiatrist for the past one year, said a police officer.

According to fellow students, he was supposed to leave for Rohtak on Friday, but had to cancel his trip at the eleventh hour. Sharma was also struggling to cope with studies at IIT-Bombay, but was putting in efforts, another student added. “He had barely managed to pass the previous few semesters and only recently had he started coping. It’s really sad that he took academics so seriously that he took his life for the same,” said a student.

Sharma’s body was sent to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar for a post-mortem. His father, a businessman in Rohtak, flew down to the city along with a relative to take its custody and left yesterday.

Police have also recovered the bottle which had the chemical that Sharma allegedly drank, and are investigating as to how he procured the substance. They are also looking at CCTV footage for further leads.

Officialspeak
Confirming the incident, Rashmi Uday Kumar, public relations officer, IIT-Bombay, told mid-day, “He’s a resident of hostel number 8 and when another student went to the terrace of building number 15 for a walk, he found Jitesh unconscious. There were many bottles of soft drinks lying around and there was froth coming from his mouth, and this student immediately contacted the officials at the institute.” She added that Sharma, originally from Rohtak, was a third-year Chemical Engineering student and wasn’t doing very well academically.
— Inputs by Shreya Bhandary

- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-student-found-dead-in-iit-bombay-premises/16183165#sthash.NM6FRB1q.dpuf

318 - IIT Bombay student commits suicide - Indileak

Published On: Sun, May 3rd, 2015

India | By IndiLeak Bureau

IIT Bombay student commits suicide

Mumbai: A third year chemical engineering student of IIT Bombay allegedly committed suicide on Saturday night by consuming poising in his hostel room.

This is the second incident of suicide in the IIT Bombay in the current year

According to available information, a suicide note was discovered from the terrace of the hostel where the student had allegedly committed suicide.

The police is investigating the authenticity of the suicide note. However, the content of the suicide note has yet not been disclosed by the police, said sources.

A batch-mate of the deceased student said that though he was quite active in extra-curricular activities, he was not doing all that well at his studies.

He was from Rohtak and his parents have been informed about the unfortunate incident. Incidentally, the parents of the deceased student are in Mumbai, said sources.

This is the second incident of suicide in the IIT Bombay in the current year.

317 - IIT Bombay student found dead in campus -NewsX

IIT Bombay student found dead in campus

By

Alka Sinha

Sunday, May 3, 2015 - 16:03

IIT Bombay student found dead in campus

MUMBAI: A student of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay was found dead on Saturday night in the campus.

According to the sources, the third year Chemical engineering student committed suicide leaving a note behind it.

The body was found on the terrace of the hostel around 11 PM. The student, who was originally from Rohtak, is believed to have consumed poison to kill self, said sources.

His parents have been informed who are in the city, said sources. The police is investigating the matter, it added.

316 - IIT Bombay Student Found Dead on Hostel Terrace - IB Times

IIT Bombay Student Found Dead on Hostel Terrace

• By Neha Singh
  May 3, 2015 16:00 IST

A student of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Bombay was found dead on the terrace of one of the hostels in the campus on Saturday night.

The campus students claimed that the deceased had left a suicide note. The incident came to light on Saturday after the third-year student's body was found on the terrace of hostel number 15.

It is believed that he consumed a poisonous chemical that led to his death. "Some chemical may be involved; the police is investigating," The Times of India quoted IIT-Bombay spokesperson as saying.

Neither the cause, nor the reason behind his death is clear as of now, however, one of the students said that he was not doing well in academics. "He was active in extra-curricular activities and was coordinating in the functioning of the placement cell in the last semester. But he was not doing well academically," the student said.

The deceased hailed from Rohtak and was studying chemical engineering at IIT-Bombay.

315 - 'Efforts to prevent suicides remain ineffective at IITs'

'Efforts to prevent suicides remain ineffective at IITs'

Yogita Rao & Vinamrata Borwankar,

TNN | May 4, 2015, 02.46 AM IST

MUMBAI: Despite taking several initiatives in the past few years to help students deal with their academic-related stress, the frequency of suicides in IITs across the country seems to have remained unaffected. 

Students on the IIT-Bombay campus have expressed concern over the failure of these initiatives. 

A final year student on the campus said, "It is a real concern for the student community as measures taken by the institute have not really helped much. Everything — getting a good placement, good internships, performance in projects — is co-related to a student's CPI (Cumulative Performance Index). The IIT education system needs an overhaul." 

In September last year, Aniket Ambhore fell to death from the sixth floor of a hostel on campus. While it was not ascertained if it was a suicide, the student was undergoing treatment for depression caused by poor performance in academics. The latest victim, Jitesh Sharma, was also allegedly suffering from depression due to his academics. 

However, IIT-Bombay director Devang Khakhar said, "Less than 20% of the students get the CPI above eight points. A majority of students do not get desirable CPIs but all of them land decent jobs. There are different profiles available for everybody. There cannot be a direct co-relation in this case, but we will try to probe into the matter and see what counselling facilities can be made available." 

Psychiatrists feel there is a need to do more. "There are over 10,000 students but it has only three counselors, when the need is around one counselor for every 700 students. Academic mentors are not trained to identify signs of depression and hence most of these students get to this level," said senior psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty. 

Suggesting a way to improve the mental health conditions in the institute, Dr Shetty said alumni could invest in infrastructure. 

"Not just IITs but all the engineering institutes in the country lack mental health mechanism. When the alumni can invest in sports infrastructure, why not in building full fledged counseling centres," he said. 

However, a senior official said there was enough infrastructure but not many students approach the counselors. 

"The institute has also taken efforts to set up the counseling centre away from the academic building to encourage more students to come forward," said the official.

314 - IIT-B student commits suicide - The Hindu

MUMBAI, May 4, 2015

IIT-B student commits suicide

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

He was suffering from depression, says IIT spokesman

Jitesh Sharma, a third year chemical engineering student from IIT-Bombay, was found dead on Saturday on a hostel terrace. The police have recovered a suicide note.

“He said in the note that he was frustrated with his studies. We have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and are recording the statements of his parents,” the Powai police told The Hindu.

Jitesh’s body was found between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday. “He was frothing at the mouth and a bottle of an aerated drink was found near him. He perhaps consumed something, but we do not know what it was,” an IIT spokesperson said.

The institute said Jitesh was suffering from depression and was struggling to cope with academics. “He wasn’t doing too well academically, but recently his grades were improving, which is why his death comes as a shock. We offered him a lot of support. He was seeking help from the institute’s counselling facility and also was undergoing therapy from a doctor in Delhi. His family was aware of his condition,” the spokesperson said.

The post-mortem examination was done at Mumbai’s Rajawadi hospital. Jitesh’s family intends to take his body for cremation to their hometown in Rohtak, Haryana.

Saturday’s incident comes close on the heels of the death of IIT-B student Aniket Ambhore in September 2014, who fell to his death from the sixth-floor of a hostel.

Keywords: IIT-Bombay student suicide

313 - IIT-Bombay student found dead on campus, suicide note recovered - Hindustan Times

IIT-Bombay student found dead on campus, suicide note recovered

• HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Mumbai| Updated: May 04, 2015 15:27 IST

Body of a third-year chemical engineering student was found on IIT-Bombay campus on Saturday evening. 

(HT File Photo)

A third-year chemical engineering student from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) was found dead on campus on Saturday evening.

21-year-old Jitesh Sharma's body was found on the terrace of hostel number 15 while a suicide note was found in his hostel room, an IIT spokesperson said. Students said that he left a note behind and is believed to have consumed something poisonous.

"He has written a suicide note in Hindi and English that shows he was under depression," the investigating officer from Powai police station said.

According to police, Sharma was apparently unhappy with the choice of his academic course, and a suicide note, purportedly written by him and found near his body, indicates he was depressed.

"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.

A student at the institute said, "While he was active in extra-curricular activities, he was not doing well academically and was under pressure because of this."

Police have registered a case of accidental death. They have spoken to the parents of the deceased and are in the process of investigating further.

This is the second such death on campus in the last year. In September, a fourth-year student, Aniket Ambhore, had committed suicide by jumping from the hostel building.

(With inputs from PTI)

312 - IIT-B student commits suicide on campus allegedly due to depression - First Post

IIT-B student commits suicide on campus allegedly due to depression

May 4, 2015 07:10 IST

Mumbai: A chemical engineering student at IIT, Powai, here allegedly committed suicide, police said on Sunday.

Jitesh Sharma (21), who hails from Haryana, was 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.

IIT Bombay. Agencies

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.

PTI

311 - Mumbai Shocker: IIT-Bombay student commits suicide - One India

Mumbai Shocker: IIT-Bombay student commits suicide 

Posted by: Nairita 

Published: Sunday, May 3, 2015, 16:19 [IST]

Mumbai, May 3: A young student of IIT-Bombay allegedly committed suicide. The dead body, who was resident of Rohtak, has been found on the hostel terrace inside the campus of the institution. The student belonged to the faculty of chemical engineering, third year. His parents have been informed. A suicide note has been found near the body of the student. According to his fellow hostel mates, the young boy was not doing well academically. However, he was very active in extra-curricular activities. According to sources, he was involved with the groups who were coordinating in the functioning of the placement cell in the last semester. Mumbai Police have begun investigation. This was the second time in less than a year that another student was found dead inside IIT-Bombay campus. OneIndia News 

Read more at: http://www.oneindia.com/india/mumbai-shocker-iit-bombay-student-commits-suicide-1735612.html

310 - IIT Bombay student commits suicide on campus - India Today

IIT Bombay student commits suicide on campus

IndiaToday.in  New Delhi, May 3, 2015 | UPDATED 17:29 IST

A chemical engineering student at IIT, Powai, here allegedly committed suicide, police said on Sunday.

Jitesh Sharma, 21, who hails from Haryana, was 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 post-mortem this morning.

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 Joint Entrance 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.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/suicide-iit-bombay-campus-student-depression/1/433457.html

309 - IIT Bombay student found dead in hostel - TNN

IIT Bombay student found dead in hostel

Vinamrata Borwankar,TNN | May 3, 2015, 10.50 AM IST

MUMBAI: A third year chemical engineering student from IIT Bombay, was found dead on campus on Saturday evening. The body of the student, who was originally from Rohtak, was found on one of the hostel terraces.

Students said that he left a note behind and is believed to have consumed something poisonous. The body was found on the terrace of hostel 15. A student said, "He was active in extra-curricular activities and was coordinating in the functioning of the placement cell in the last semester. He was not doing academically well."

IIT spokesperson said, "Some chemical may be involved but the police is investigating."

This is the second death in less than a year on the campus. In September 2014, Aniket Ambhore, a fourth year student fell to death from the sixth-floor balcony of a hostel on the campus.

308 - Student of IIT Bombay Found Dead in Campus. Case of Suicide, Say Sources - NDTV

Student of IIT Bombay Found Dead in Campus. Case of Suicide, Say Sources

All India | Reported by Nikita Niraj Arora, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Updated: May 03, 2015 19:22 IST

MUMBAI:  A student of IIT Bombay has been found dead in campus. It was apparently a case of suicide and he has left a note, say sources.

Jitesh Sharma, 21 -- a third year student of chemical engineering -- was suffering from depression and was undergoing counselling at the institute, sources said. 

His body was found on the terrace of a hostel in the campus last evening. The young man, who was from Rohtak, lived in a different hostel.

Preliminary investigations indicted that he had consumed some poisonous substance. A container of sodium azide acid, a highly corrosive substance, was found next to his body.

The suicide note, which was written in Hindi and found in his room, indicated that he was worried about the results of his exams and was apprehensive about not getting a good placement.

"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 note read, according to sources.

Jitesh was apparently not doing well in studies and was yet to clear a few subjects from his first year semester exams, sources said.  

He had sat for two exams - one on April 24 and another on April 29 -- repeat exams that he failed to clear in first year. The family was aware he was under stress, said police sources.

An accidental death report has been registered and further investigations are on, the police said.

Story First Published: May 03, 2015 15:20 IST

307 - Sena Wants Bombay High Court and IIT-B Replaced With Mumbai - New Indian Express

Sena Wants Bombay High Court and IIT-B Replaced With Mumbai

By PTI

Published: 21st April 2015 04:53 PM

MUMBAI: After having renamed Bombay as Mumbai during its rule in Maharashtra between 1995-99, Shiv Sena, which is sharing power with BJP in both state and the Centre, is now vehemently pressing for its demand to rename the Bombay High Court.

The saffron party wants the name Bombay dropped and replaced it with Mumbai.

Talking to PTI, Sena MP Arvind Sawant today said he has spoken to Union Law Minister Sadananda Gowda regarding the renaming issue.

"Since the city is now known as Mumbai, we cannot continue to relate the government institutions with the old name," Sawant said, adding, "I will myself demand that all the government institutions like IIT-Bombay should also be addressed with Mumbai in it."

According to the Sena leader, Mumbai derived its name from Goddess Mumbadevi. "However, the name Bombay was coined by the British rulers as they could not pronounce Mumbai," he added.

Opposition Hits Back

The Sena's move has drawn flak from opposition Congress, as it said that the ruling party was deviating from development issues.

"They have lost all focus. Before joining the government, they portrayed themselves as the messiah of farmers and wanted the BJP to stop their suicides and provide them with adequate compensation," Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said.

"Instead of throwing in their weight over this (renaming) issue, the state needs to do something to stop farmers' suicides and pay compensation to the affected farmers. That should be their focus. Wasting time on such issues is unwarranted at this point of time," Patil said.

Although NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad welcomed Sena's demand, he said the party was seeking to change the name only to win votes in the upcoming municipal polls.

"Sena's demand is not wrong. As the city's name has been changed to Mumbai, every institution which has a name of the metropolis, should be named similarly. You cannot continue with Bombay High court and IIT-Bombay," he said.

"They are desperately trying to gather their votes in the next couple of years as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are due. The Sena should also speak for the cause of farmers with the same aggression as they are showing for changing names," Awhad said.

The Bombay High Court was inaugurated on August 14, 1862. The High Court today has three benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Goa. Bombay HC is one of a few institutions in Maharashtra that continue to carry the old name of the city.

306 - DPS student commits suicide - Ranchi Express

DPS student commits suicide

Feared to get low marks in IIT exam, a student of DPS Bokaro killed himself on Sunday afternoon. Sourav Kumar (17) a Class 12 student of DPS Bokaro hanged himself fearing over failure to get admission in IIT. The answer sheet for JEE was uploaded on the Internet on Saturday. After observing the answer sheet, Sourav became apprehensive that he could not qualify the exam, police said. Sourav was a resident of Qr No. 2 D – 3-145, his father is operator at BPSCL in Bokaro.

305 - IIT Bombay lifts night ban on Net for PhD students - Indian Express

IIT Bombay lifts night ban on Net for PhD students

According to the institute, the LAN ban was introduced after a student committed suicide in 2005 after being failed in a few courses owing to low attendance, allegedly due to excess use of the Internet.

Written by Mihika Basu | Mumbai | Published on:April 21, 2015 12:00 am

Years after it imposed a ban on local area network (LAN) inside hostels at night, IIT Bombay has now decided to lift the same for PhD students.

Recently, students of IIT Bombay urged the institute authorities to lift the LAN ban inside hostels between 1.30 am to 5.30 am. 

The ban, which was implemented after 2005, was inadvertently lifted for about a year recently and re-introduced last month. Doctorate students argued that the ban was not allowing them to continue their PhD-related work during the night.

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“In a recent meeting of post-graduate students with the director, a PhD student raised the issue and the director announced that PhD students will not face LAN ban. A representation has also been made by students to remove the ban for all of them, which is being looked into,” said Prof U A Yajnik, dean of student affairs, IIT Bombay.

According to the institute, the LAN ban was introduced after a student committed suicide in 2005 after being failed in a few courses owing to low attendance, allegedly due to excess use of the Internet.

“Some of us use the Internet to study at night. Also, there is no ban on use of personal Internet connection. We really hope the authorities give us LAN access at hostels in the night,” said a BTech student.

mihika.basu@expressindia.com