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

Another IIT aspirant kills self in coaching hub Kota - Business Standard

Another IIT aspirant kills self in coaching hub Kota

Press Trust of India  |  Kota (Raj)  July 20, 2015 Last Updated at 18:42 IST

An 18-year-old youth, who was taking coaching classes for IIT entrance test, allegedly hanged himself in his hostel room here, days after NCRB released data saying that 45 students committed suicide last year in this coaching hub. 

Avinash Singh, a resident of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, committed suicide at his hostel room in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar colony of Jawaharnagar police station area late last night, Sub Inspector Suraj Singh said.

Avinash's body was found this morning and has been sent to mortuary of Maharao Bhim Singh (MBS) hospital for post mortem examination.

His parents have been informed, the officer said, adding that the boy apparently took the step under stress of studies.

According to data released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Saturday, Kota has registered 100 suicide cases in 2014 and 45 of them were coaching students.

The report mentions the stress of studies and failure in examination among the key causes of suicide among coaching students in Kota.

Over 1.50 lakhs students are taking coaching in various coaching institutes in Kota the city that has made name as coaching hub of the country.

Letters: Don't pick on the IITs - Business Standard

Letters: Don't pick on the IITs

Business Standard  |  New Delhi  July 19, 2015 Last Updated at 22:03 IST

This refers to Anjuli Bhargava's column, "Indian Institutes of Trouble" (July 16). Let us start with the facts: About 50 per cent of the B Tech curriculum at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) consists of engineering courses. The rest comprises maths, science (that is not engineering, please), humanities and the liberal arts, management and diverse electives that you need to take to complete your degree. Next, how many of those who study BA in history, B Com or BSc in zoology actually pursue them later? So let us stop picking on B Tech graduates - and that too from the IITs - as easy targets.

On the issue of suicides, in the absence of nation-wide figures (college-wise, year-wise), let us not jump to conclusions based on statistics put out by TV channels. It is unfortunate that we have not developed community awareness on dealing with psychological lows, which are common at that age. Asking students to leave the IIT is a good step, rather than letting them succumb to the pressure. Go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Stanford University - the situation is the same. As for putting pressure on 14-15-year-olds to prepare for the IIT joint entrance examination, the entire society is to blame.

All the IIT directors have categorically stated that the IIT system is not designed or aligned to the methodology of QS World University Rankings. As long as the IITs are free of interference from the Executive, and only have pacts on performance with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, they will do all it takes to stand alongside the best in the world.

'Collapse' is a big word. As long as we stem the mushrooming of IITs, the current ones would not implode in quality. Let us focus on elementary and higher education, which are actually on the verge of a collapse.

Srikant Mallela Hyderabad

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The Editor, Business Standard

Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg

New Delhi 110 002

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IIT Roorkee: Expelled Student Attempts Suicide, Admitted To Hospital - Focus News

IIT Roorkee: Expelled Student Attempts Suicide, Admitted To Hospital

By Focus News Bureau - Jul 19, 2015 431 

An expelled student from IIT-Rookee who attempted suicide has been admitted to hospital.

According to doctors, Abhisek Mandal, who is a West Bengal resident attempted suicide by starving, however, his condition is stable now.

The incident happened took place after three days of  IIT-Roorkee’s decision to allow expelled students for re-examination following Uttarakhand High Court’s order.

Earlier on July 8, the senate took its decision and expelled students who scored lower than five cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

ALSO READ:IIT Roorkee: 73 Expelled Students May Get Another Chance

“Seventy three students who scored lower than five cumulative grade point average (CGPA) in the second semester were expelled from the institute as per a decision of the senate consisting of over 100 professors,” IIT Roorkee director Pradipta Bannerjee said.

A rule mandating expulsion of students who scored less than five CGPA for two consecutive semesters was framed last year by the institute to ensure quality education on the campus.

When 73 students were found scoring less than five CGPA in their second semester exam, they were issued expulsion notices by the institute.

ALSO READ: IIT-Roorkee Allows Expelled Students For Re-Examination

In response to the notices, the students and their parents approached the IIT authorities seeking reconsideration of the decision. However, the senate, after a marathon discussion on the issue which went late into the night on Wednesday, decided to expel them, Bannerjee said.

IIT Roorkee sticks to expulsion call - TNN

IIT Roorkee sticks to expulsion call

Shivani Saxena, TNN | Jul 10, 2015, 10.07PM IST

DEHRADUN: A day after IIT Roorkee expelled 73 students for under-performing, the institute called a meeting of senior officials including the director and heads of departments, to review the expulsion of the students. 

The meeting, which went on till 8 in the evening, eventually decided that there would be no change in the decision taken by the academic senate which had met on Wednesday and had decided to expel all the 73 students. 

"After a lot of deliberations and analysis, we decided to go ahead with the senate's decision on the expulsion. There would be no change in it," said Prashant Garg, registrar, IIT Roorkee.

Meanwhile, some of the affected students said that they were considering approaching the high court against the institute's decision. "None of us knew that if we scored less than 5 CGPA, we would be expelled. It was a big shock when we read the notice issued in this regard. We contacted many professors, but none of them were also aware about this rule, "claimed one of the students who scored a CGPA of 4.75 in the first two semesters, and who was considering a legal option. 

However, a senior professor at the institute said that the rules are clearly mentioned in the rule book. "It is not like the rules of the match have been changed after the match started. That would have been an unfair thing. The expulsion might be reconsidered and the decision might be revised for some on humanitarian grounds, but at the end of the day, a rule is a rule." 

Parents when contacted did not speak much the issue and said they were only worried about their children who they hoped would not take any drastic step like suicide if the decision is not revised.

"A student who got through IIT from the general category quota, after a year-long rigorous preparation can't be academically that bad. It is already too late for enrolments in other colleges. These students should be given a second opportunity" said a worried parent, who had come from Jaipur to be with his son.

Anjuli Bhargava: Indian Institutes of Technology or Trouble? - Business Standard

Anjuli Bhargava: Indian Institutes of Technology or Trouble?

Are teachers, parents, govts, academicians and society trying to break down a 65-year old institution?

Anjuli Bhargava

July 15, 2015 Last Updated at 21:48 IST

As one reads about the plight of students who make it to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), those who fail to do so and those who make it through the system once in, one can't help but wonder whether this was what was intended.

Let me start with one big question: are the IITs actually for training and producing engineers? Most IIT-ians I know - and this is a fair number - are not pursuing engineering. They are bankers, consultants, angel investors, senior level executives or even heads of non-governmental organisations. I don't know a single civil, mechanical or electrical engineer for that matter. The engineers India produces are primarily from the regional engineering colleges. So if the idea is to churn out good, capable managers, do they really need an IIT-education?

A few weeks ago, I was following the story on an IIT Mumbai student who took his own life, unable to cope with the stress of the system. Television channels put out statistics that revealed that suicide rates among IIT students are quite high - again something unheard of in the 1980s and 1990s.

Then last week, IIT Roorkee identified and asked 73 students who could not cope with the curriculum or were evidently disinterested in it (one student quit to join acting classes) to leave. Without going into the rights and wrongs of the issue, I presume if the institute took such a drastic decision it must have had valid reasons.

I know a few students who failed the dreaded Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and some who made it. And they have an important point to make. The moment a child shows some interest or aptitude in the sciences, parents start talking of the JEE examination at home. Teachers add to the decibel level. Before the student fully realises what he is signing on for - or whether he actually wants a career in engineering at all - he is brain-washed into enrolling for the classes. Others around you seem to be in the same boat, so peer pressure builds up. It's a fait accompli for those demonstrating aptitude in math and science. Career choices are made ridiculously early.

Students at ages 14-15 start attending these classes. They are in a sort of pressure cooker situation for at least four years before they actually take the test. Thankfully, several - probably not cut out for it anyway - fall by the wayside.

But some who finally do make it find it a bit of an anti climax. Exhausted or burnt out, many begin to question whether this is what they wanted in the first place. Older and wiser, some begin to question why engineering. Yet the pressure of performance - and the IIT curriculum - continues to build. Semesters seem to merge into one another and one examination follows the next.

Far too many crack under the pressure. As one student I know put it "you are on a treadmill that refuses to stop" but there's no time to do anything about it.

Then there are those who are disappointed with what they find once in. A post by a former student who passed out in 2014 talks of the "academic void" his IIT education left in him. He found himself surrounded by people who were more interested in the "job" and the "package" post an IIT stint rather than evolving into a better professional. He says that he enjoyed everything about being at an IIT except the academics.

Academic standards at almost all the IITs have dropped steadily through the years (IITs have been slipping in QS World University Rankings every year). So if Pradipta Banerji, director of IIT Roorkee, managed to cull out the students who failed to cope or were not interested in learning, we need someone across the IIT system to cull out those who failed to teach or were not interested in teaching.

Instead of quibbling with student bodies, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani should look at some of these real problems plaguing the IITs and save this 65-year old institution from virtual collapse.

5 deaths in one month, Kota's IIT coaching institutes hit by suicide scandal - The Telegraph

5 deaths in one month, Kota's IIT coaching institutes hit by suicide scandalhttp://www.telegraphindia.com/1150701/jsp/nation/story_28907.jsp#.VZS6Dkuopg0

Rakhee Roy Talukdar

Wednesday, 01 July 2015 11:08 AM

Jaipur: Rohit Singh hanged himself in his bedroom. That was on Saturday. The young man was only 18.

On June 8, Sarthak Yadav killed himself too.

Barely four days earlier, Nibha Tiwari had decided she couldn't stand it any more.

A coaching institute in Kota.

All three - Rohit, Sarthak and Nibha - had something in common. They were young, looked forward to a bright career, either as an IIT graduate or a doctor, and came to what is described as the country's coaching capital, Kota.

The Rajasthan city, some 255km from Jaipur, boasts the highest number of IIT selections every year and takes pride in its "Kota module" of updated study material and rigorous coaching.

Some 10,000 aspirants have been called for counselling this year. But five suicides this month have turned the lens on something most coaching centres, and some parents too, seem to have forgotten in the rush for success: trained counsellors to hear out the students when the going gets tough.

Tough is an understatement: the chances of success work out to something like one in 140.

According to police records, at least 11 students have committed suicide in Kota since January this year. In 2014, the number was 14, while 26 suicides were reported the year before.

Parents blame it on stress, the punishing schedule of long hours of study and preparatory exams. They also complain of lack of regular monitoring of how the students were, physically and mentally, when their tuition grades start falling.

The coaching institutes say stress is inevitable when 14 lakh students, for instance, decide to vie for 10,000 IIT seats. "Earlier, we used to hear one or two cases. Now the number of suicide cases are rising, but with so many students competing for one of the toughest tests, these numbers are minuscule," Pramod Bansal, director of Bansal Classes, told The Telegraph.

Stress, say counsellors, is indeed understandable, especially when these coaching institutes charge anything between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh every year from students.

What was not understandable is they don't have a system of counselling, especially before enrolling students.

True, conceded Bansal. "We don't counsel students before we take them in," he admitted. "But our doctors monitor a student who is not eating, or sleeping well or is in a kind of depression."

According to figures available, around 1.5 lakh aspiring engineers and doctors come to Kota every year, putting up in hostels, renting houses or staying as paying guests. Their day starts early: by 6am, they head to coaching centres. After tuitions, it's time for regular school or college. They don't get free before 8 in the evening. After dinner, it's study time again till they finally hit the bed.

They are also told not to sleep for over six hours. "The routine is tough, but then IIT seats are limited and time is at a premium," said Amit Yadav, a student from Jaipur.

Time was of premium too for Nibha, a girl from Jharkhand, who killed herself on June 4. A day later, the police found the bodies of Kuldeep Rastogi, of Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, and his daughter Dipanshi, 18.

Kuldeep, 48, committed suicide after killing his daughter in a hotel room. In a purported suicide note, he said he was taking the extreme step because of his poor financial condition. Counsellors say the tuition fee of the coaching institute where his daughter wanted to get enrolled was probably too high for them.

Next it was Sarthak from Saharanpur, also from Uttar Pradesh, and Ashwini Kumar from Bihar. Rohit's suicide, on June 27, was the latest.

M.L. Agarwal, a psychiatrist, said a helpline he started four years ago gets at least a 1,000 calls a year from students suffering from extreme stress.

Counsellors say the first "setback" the students in Kota suffer is when they compete with toppers from across the country and see their coaching class grades fall in comparison. "It is then that frustration anxiety sets in," Agarwal said.

SOURCE: www.telegraphindia.com

Rajasthan: IIT-JEE aspirant hangs self in Kota - dna

Rajasthan: IIT-JEE aspirant hangs self in Kota

Sunday, 28 June 2015 - 12:01pm IST | Place: Kota | Agency: 

A suicide note, in which the boy held himself responsible for the extreme step, was also recovered during the search of his room.

An 18-year-old IIT-JEE aspirant allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan in his room here, police said on Sunday. Body of Rohit Singh was recovered from his apartment on Baran road last evening, SHO Boorkheda police station, Ranvijay Singh said.

The police is investigating if the student had taken the extreme step due to stress of studies or some other reason, he said. The student, who hails from Gopalganj district of Bihar, was staying in Kota with his parents and two siblings, and preparing for IIT entrance test, the SHO said.

A suicide note, in which the boy held himself responsible for the extreme step, was also recovered during the search of his room, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) at Boorkheda police station Ghanshyam Lal said. The student had shut himself in his room for studying on Saturday morning but did not come out till 7.00 pm.

His mother and the neighbours informed the police following which the body was found hanging from the ceiling fan, the ASI said, adding, the boy's father is not in the city. The body has been placed in the mortuary of Maharao Bhim Singh hospital and post-mortem would be conducted today after his father arrives.

A case under section 174 of CrPC would be lodged in this connection however, the investigation is still going on, he added. 

18 years old IIT-JEE student committed suicide in Kota

18 years old IIT-JEE student committed suicide in Kota

News

Jun 28, 2015

18-years-old student committed suicide in Kota

As per fresh reports, Rohit Singh, an IIT-JEE candidate, has committed suicide.

The report said that the 18-years-old strung himself up from the ceiling fan in his bedroom.

SHO Boorkheda police station, Mr. Ranvijay Singh stated that the dead body of the pupil got recovered from his residence on Baran road on June 27 evening.

The police officials are probing if the pupil had taken the severe step because of pressure of studies or any other cause, Mr. Ranvijay Singh said. The pupil, who belongs to Gopalganj region of Bihar, was residing in the city of Kota with his mother-father and two sibs, and making preparations for IIT entrance examination, the SHO added.

A suicide letter, in which Rohit held himself accountable for the severe step, was also found during the investigation of his room, ASI at Boorkheda police headquarters Ghanshyam Lal stated.

The pupil had shut himself in his bedroom on June 27 morning, but did not open the door till 7.00 pm.

Rohit’s mom and the fellow citizens notified the police accompanying which Rohit’s body was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan, Ghanshyam Lal said, adding, the boy’s father is not in the city.

The dead body has been placed in the morgue of Maharao Bhim Singh hospital and postmortem examination would be carried out today after his father comes back.

IIT-Kanpur student slits wrist in suicide bid - TNN

IIT-Kanpur student slits wrist in suicide bid

TNN | Jun 24, 2015, 11.23AM IST

KANPUR: A post graduate student of Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) slit his wrist in a suicide bid late on Monday evening. Panicky authorities immediately rushed him to health centre on the campus from where he was later referred to Regency Hospital in Sarvodaya Nagar. 

On Tuesday, his condition was stated to be stable. The reason behind the drastic step was yet to be ascertained. 

The authorities are waiting for the student's recovery to initiate a probe. However, his colleagues said that he took the step in depression. 

Acting director Prof Ajit Chaturvedi confirmed the incident but said that the reason behind the drastic step was yet to be ascertained. 

"We all are shocked and are unaware as to what went wrong," he said. The acting director further said that no fact finding committee had been constituted so far. 

A fellow colleague found PG student Arun Kumar Sharma lying in a pool of blood. 

Realising that Sharma had slit his wrists, the colleague immediately alerted institute authorities. After admitting him to Regency Hospital, institute authorities informed his parents in Kota. 

Meanwhile, Sharma's colleagues kept a night-long vigil in the hospital praying for his well-being. 

On Tuesday, his father Arun Sharma reached the hospital and broke down after seeing his condition. 

Attending medical staff said that the boy's condition had improved and he had been shifted to a room.

IIT-Kanpur student attempts suicide - dna

IIT-Kanpur student attempts suicide

Tuesday, 23 June 2015 - 4:41pm IST 

Place: Kanpur | Agency: PTI

No complaint was lodged with the police.

A student of IIT-Kanpur allegedly tried to commit suicide by slitting his wrist here, official said today. Arun Kumar Sharma (25), a student of Ph.D mechanical engineering who hails from Kota, attempted suicide yesterday evening in room number eight of the hostel over family problems, Administration Incharge, NN Kishore told PTI.

He was taken to the dispensary in the campus by his friends but later shifted to a private hospital after his condition deteriorated, Kishore said, adding that, the student is now out of danger. However, no complaint was lodged with the police.

No complaint has been lodged yet and Kalyanpur police was not informed about the incident, Circle Officer DSP P Mohan Tripathi said.

When contacted, Director of IIT-Kanpur Indranil Manna and Registrar RK Sachan were not available for comments. 

A Canard about Dalit Suicides in IITs - "Q & A"

Q - I read with interest your blog on the suicides at IITs.  A canard is being spread that Dalit students form a huge portion of such suicides because of caste discrimination. I went through your list and the names suggest that only 6 could be Dalits. Do you have any additional information in this regard? Shall be grateful for a response. 

A -  "Canard" is the most appropriate word for this and it is just that.

Having said that the true situation IMHO is that a considerable percentage of merit students struggle with the high pressure system and tough curriculum, especially merit students from JEE Coaching schools, who learn get trained to excel in an JEE based on Multiple choice questions, without having strong fundamentals in maths, physics and chemistry.

If this is the case for even some merit students, imagine how difficult it would be for Dalit Students who get admission through Reservation even though they do not score adequate marks in JEE. These students lack strong fundas and are no match for merit students oozing with brains.

IITs are like boot camps and there is no let up and every one has to keep up or drop out and no one is in a position to assist the weak.

As one would expect the Dalit students fall into a rut and find it difficult to extricate themselves. To blame the failures of Dalit students on Caste discrimination, is false accusations.

Imagine throwing a bunch of kids who do not know how to swim into the deep ocean. They will all struggle and majority will some how survive however there will be a few that drown in the process. Is the Ocean to be blamed for these drownings ?

The mistake here is introducing Reservation into IITs for SC/ST students who don't have to score the marks scored by general category students.

Reservation in IITs is hurting the very students it is supposed to assist. Blame Govt Policies. 

Reservation has done more damage to SC/ST population since independence and we are led to believe it is helping them.

The Government has to look for better options to assist SC / ST Students like giving them scholarships to attend JEE Coaching Schools so these students enter IITs on Merit feeling confident and not through reservations.

Ram Krishnaswamy

SHAKEN BY SUICIDES, IIT-B TAKES NEW MEASURES TO CALM BEAUTIFUL MINDS - MUMBAI MIRROR

SHAKEN BY SUICIDES, IIT-B TAKES NEW MEASURES TO CALM BEAUTIFUL MINDS

By Arita Sarkar, Mumbai Mirror | Jun 12, 2015, 12.25 AM IST

HELPING STUDENTS IN DISTRESS: IIT-B director Devang Khakhar (left) and dean of student affairs, Soumyo Mukherjee

The institute will seek help from renowned psychiatrist Vikram Patel to improve counselling of students, also organise orientation workshop in July for parents.

Two suicides and one attempted suicide within ten months by some of their best and the brightest has prompted Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to take radical steps to help students in distress.

Speaking to this newspaper on Thursday, IITB director Devang Khakhar and dean of student affairs, Soumyo Mukherjee, revealed they have done away with the earlier rule under which students could be referred to a mental health counsellor only through the dean of student affairs. Both men said that given the sensitivities involved, it was imperative to maintain discretion and anonymity of the distressed student.

Learnings from the tragic suicide of their students Ankit Ambhore and Jitesh Sharma has prompted IIT to organize an orientation workshop next month exclusively targeted at parents.

In addition, the institute is planning to call on the expertise of Vikram Patel, psychiatrist and Professor of International Mental Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who was recently named among the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine, and who happens to be Khakhar's brother-in-law.

Following the launch of a Facebook page, I Care, last year IIT Bombay has now also deployed senior students to watch out for signs of depression among its juniors.

Stating that academic pressure is not the only cause for suicidal tendencies, Khakhar said over the past few years students at the undergraduate level have been under a lot of pressure from their family and friends as well. "If the students are not doing very well academically, then they are not going to get the big job in the end which puts pressure especially on students who have built a backlog. From our end we have cut down on the credits so that academic pressure is not that high in terms of workload."

Khakhar who has been IIT director for over six years, says the institute had asked Aniket Ambhore who jumped off the terrace in September last year, and who had a keen interest in music, to take a year off to focus on his other interests. However, apparently his parents had dissuaded him from doing so. "Taking time off is never an issue at IIT Bombay provided there is a valid reason," says Khakhar adding that often students feel the pressure from their family to finish the course within four years and participate in the placements.

Khakhar, who himself enrolled at IIT Delhi as a student in 1976, says suicide on campus was not unheard of even in those days. "It's not as if cases of students committing suicide have started now but it is very difficult to identify students who are on the verge of taking extreme steps (as opposed to) students who are just plain unhappy."

Urging students to not be worried about backlogs he says IIT Bombay, unlike other Indian Universities, does not fail a student. Emphasising the flexibility of the academic curriculum, Khakhar says, "If a student has earned many backlogs, then the student can take five years instead of four to clear the papers. Students should be more worried about the education they get rather than how many years it takes them to finish it."

WORRYING SIGNS

June 1: A 23-year-old student, pursuing a dual degree in MSc and PhD in earth sciences, tried to kill himself by repeatedly banging his head against a wall in his hostel room. He also slashed his wrists before consuming a poisonous substance.

May 2: Jitesh Sharma, a 21-year-old student of chemical engineering, was found dead on a hostel terrace. Sharma committed suicide by consuming a chemical.

September 4, 2014: Aniket Ambhore, a dual degree student in electrical engineering, fell to his death from the sixth floor of the hostel building. He was also undergoing treatment for depression.

IIT Guwahati student found dead behind hostel, cops say suicide - NYOOOZ

IIT Guwahati student found dead behind hostel, cops say suicide

• NYOOOZ Guwahati Wed,10 Jun 2015

Guwahati, Sept 15: An electronics and communication engineering student of IIT Guwahati, hailing from Haryana, was found dead behind his three-storey hostel building on Sunday, police said. The body of Tushar Yadav (19) was found lying in a pool of blood at around 7.30 am.

Police investigators say that the student committed suicide on Saturday night by jumping from the building rooftop. Police also found a note addressed to his parents which says he was suffering from depression for the past two months. "In the suicide note, the student has apologised to his parents," police said, adding they are waiting for the fingerprints report.

The student was a resident of Gurgaon in Haryana. His father, Narender Singh, rushed here after getting information. Post-mortem examination of the body was conducted at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

This is the second such incident in the IIT-G this year. Shoaib Ahmed, a second semester M.Sc. student from West Bengal, had hanged himself from the ceiling fan of his hostel room in March.IANS ....

Kota: 17-year-old AIPMT aspirant commits suicide due to exam stress - Hindustan Times

Kota: 17-year-old AIPMT aspirant commits suicide due to exam stress

• PTI, Kota, Uttar Pradesh| Updated: Jun 08, 2015 20:41 IST

A 17-year-old All-India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) aspirant from Uttar Pradesh allegedly committed suicide because of the pressure of studies, four days after a teenaged girl preparing for the medical entrance examination hanged herself in the city.

According to the local police, the incident was reported in Talwandi locality in the Jhawarnagar area on Sunday morning, after the boy, Sarthak Yadav, was found hanging from a ceiling-fan.

Police said that a suicide note was found in the room in which the deceased wrote that the pressure of his study schedule and of becoming a doctor drove him to commit suicide.

Sub-inspector Suraj Singh at Jhawarnagar police station said that Yadav, a resident of Saharanpur district, had come to Kota a month ago and was enrolled in AIPMT coaching classes at a local institute.

He was staying at his grandfather's residence in Talwandi. The body has been sent for post-mortem, with police adding that Yadav's parents had arrived earlier on Monday.

A case under section 174 of CrPC would be lodged in connection with this, Singh said. These cases have created panic among the parents of students who come from all-parts of the country to Kota for coaching help.

The city is renowned for the plethora of coaching institutes it boasts. According to unofficial figures, over 1.5 lakh students preparing for AIPMT, IIT, JEE and AIEEE are currently enrolled in various coaching classes here.

Prior to this, an 18-year-old female AIPMT aspirant from Jharkhand committed suicide on Thursday by hanging herself in her hostel-room. Although the girl did not leave a suicide note, local police insist she suffered from depression due to the intense pace of her studies.

IIT-Madras Lifts Ban on Ambedkar Periyar Students' Group - NDTV

IIT-Madras Lifts Ban on Ambedkar Periyar Students' Group

All India | Press Trust of India | Updated: June 07, 2015 21:15 IST

CHENNAI:  Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) today reinstated recognition of a student group, whose de-recogition had triggered a controversy, and appointed a professor as its faculty advisor, bringing an end to the more than a week-long standoff.

The re-instatement of recognition to Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) and appointment of Professor Miland Brahme as Advisor came after a meeting between the Dean of Students and representatives of APSC held today, ending the confrontation that had left the campus in turmoil.

"The Dean of Students reinstated the recognition of APSC as an independent student body, and after consultation with the APSC representatives, recommended Professor Milind Brahme as the Faculty Advisor," an official release from IIT-M said.

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"Professor Brahme has consented to advise APSC as required in the guidelines for independent student bodies," it said.

IIT-M found itself at the centre of a controversy after it recently derecognised APSC, many of whose members are Dalits, following a complaint that it was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Union HRD Minster Smriti Irani also came under fire from political parties including the Congress and students' bodies for the action against the APSC.

IIT-M had, however, maintained that "as per the guidelines in force, student bodies cannot use its name or its official entities in any capacity to publicise their activities or garner support without official permission."

With students staging protests demanding withdrawal of the action, IIT-M had last week convened a meeting of the Board of Students.

Noting that the Board of Students met and discussed the issues raised by APSC regarding modifications and suggestions for ensuring uniform guidelines for independent student bodies, the release said, some of the suggestions will be taken up in "due course".

"Some of these will be implemented by the Office of Dean (Students), while the Student Affairs Council, Board of Students, and Senate will take up the modifications in due course for consideration as per established procedure," it said.

APSC and Dean of Students expressed satisfaction that the matter "has been closed", the release said.

Story First Published: June 07, 2015 20:13 IST

IIT-B to revamp student counselling programme - Hindustan Times

IIT-B to revamp student counselling programme

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Mumbai| Updated: Jun 03, 2015 22:37 IST

After a 23-year-old student at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) attempted suicide on Monday, the institute is planning an overhaul of its counselling programmes to help students speak out about their problems instead of taking drastic steps.

Though the student survived the attempt, two others have killed themselves on the campus since September last year.

As part of the revamp, the institute plans to hire more professional mental health experts.

“We are also planning an outreach programme, as part of which students will be trained to spot signs of depression. Lectures on the subject will also be conducted. Depression is a major taboo in our society and that makes it difficult for students to reach out for help. The outreach programme will address that issue as well,” said dean of student affairs at IIT-B Soumyo Mukherjee.

According to sources in the institute, letters will also be sent to parents of first-year students, asking them not to pressurise their wards too much.

“Apart from academic pressure, students are often burdened with unrealistic expectations from their families. We need to address each of these triggers,” said an official from the institute.

IIT-B STUDENT TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF THRICE - Mumbai Mirror

IIT-B STUDENT TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF THRICE

Mumbai Mirror | Jun 4, 2015, 12.00 AM IST

Mumbai Mirror Bureau

The 23-year-old, who is undergoing treatment, repeatedly banged his head against a wall in his hostel room and then slashed his wrists before consuming a poisonous substance.

The IIT-B student who was rushed to a hospital in an unconscious state on Monday morning had made three attempts to kill himself within a few hours, it emerged on Wednesday. 

The 23-year-old first repeatedly banged his head against a wall in his hostel room and then slashed his wrists before consuming a poisonous substance, according to a doctor at Hiranandani Hospital, where the student is being treated. At some point, he started screaming, alerting his hostel mates. 

The student, who is pursuing a dual degree in MSc and PhD in earth sciences, wrote in a suicide note that he had been unwell for some time and he was struggling to cope with academic pressure, the Powai police said. 

The doctor said that the student appeared extremely disturbed — and agitated —after he regained consciousness. He had to be tied down to prevent him from doing any more harm to himself. "His arms and legs were strapped to the bed and he was kept heavily sedated. The doctors said that it was a precautionary measure," a hostel mate said. 

Consultant physician Dr Neeraj Tulara, one of the doctors who monitored the student's condition in the intensive care unit, said: "He is doing fine now. A psychiatrist is attending to him." He added that the patient would be moved out of the ICU in a day or two. 

The student's brother arrived in Mumbai from Delhi on Tuesday. 

The student lived in hostel number 5 on the IIT-B campus. His friends said that unlike some students who had attempted suicide earlier, he was doing well in studies. He had a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 7.5 out of 10, which is considered a good score. 

"He did not seem to have any problem with his studies," said a senior who visited the student in the hospital on Wednesday. 

A hostel mate said that the student was not very social. On Monday morning, people rushed to his room after hearing screams. "We found him writhing in pain. There was a towel around his neck," the hostel mate said. 

Senior inspector YL Jadhav of the Powai police station said that a handwritten suicide note had been recovered from the hostel room. "The note is divided into three parts, addressing his mother, father and the police," Jadhav said. 

The student said in the note that no one should be blamed for his death. He also requested the police not to conduct any inquiry. "We spoke to his friends and they said that he was not suffering from any ailment. But he had complained of severe headaches," said deputy police commissioner (zone X) Vinayak Deshmukh. 

IIT-B public relations officer Rashmi Uday Kumar said that the institute would help the student get proper counselling. "His condition is stable and we hope that he is discharged in a day or two," Kumar said.

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.

Girl student at IIIT Hyderabad commits suicide

Girl student at IIIT Hyderabad commits suicide

By PTI |Posted 04-Feb-2015

 146 0 0 0 0

Hyderabad: A 19-year-old girl student of International Institute of Information Technologies (IIIT) in Adilabad district allegedly committed suicide in her house this evening, police said.

Swapna, a third year student at IIIT in Basar town, was found hanging from the ceiling in her home at Usarikapalli village in Telangana's Medak district, around 100km from here, Narayankhed Police Station Circle Inspector M Muni said.

As per preliminary information, the girl's mother was asked to visit the institute on Sunday and take her away, the police officer said.

A suicide note purportedly written by the girl was also found from the scene, Muni said, without revealing its content.

A case was registered and further probe is on.

- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/girl-student-at-iiit-hyderabad-commits-suicide/15962183#sthash.PSXX3uzh.dpuf

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-M ban: protests spread to Mumbai - The Hindu

MUMBAI, June 2, 2015

RAHI GAIKWAD

IIT-M ban: protests spread to Mumbai

IIT Bombay forms Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle

Protests against the decision of IIT Madras administration to ban the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC) spread to Mumbai on Monday with over a hundred students from different institutions staging a rally at the Dadar station here.

“We see nothing wrong with what APSC has done. It is not a new group. We condemn the decision to ban it. Even if you think they did something wrong, they should have been given a fair hearing. This is just one visible instance of the administration’s autocratic behaviour. 

This issue is not limited to IIT Madras alone. Across IITs, there are various problems, such as poor implementation of the reservation systems, absence of Dalit faculty and so on. What does it mean when they say IITs are not political? Everything is political. To be political is my right,” Kranthi Kumar, a Ph.D. scholar from IIT Bombay told The Hindu.

In response to the ban, students from IIT Bombay have formed an Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle, which staged its first protest on campus on Sunday.

“Even though we stood silently with posters, the IIT security personnel, administration and the police threatened us with adverse action. We were told to remove the mention of the HRD Ministry from our posters. So the message is ‘don’t say anything against the government’. It is very important for students across campuses to come together,” Paanki Agrawal from IIT Bombay said.

Protesters chanted the slogans such as, ‘when will achche din come?’, ‘long live Ambedkar and Periyar’, ‘down with casteism’ and demanded a revocation of the ban.

“We express our solidarity with the study circle and with the aim of annihilation of the caste system. Silencing of voices is a dangerous step,” said Bodhayan Roy from the Marxist study circle at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

“Such bans,” pointed out Sunija M.V. from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), “will obstruct the support system of marginalised students on campuses. As a result you will see more student suicides.”

Students also questioned the irony of demonising the ideas of Dr. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.

“Are we living in dualism?” asked Jackson Khumukcham from TISS. “It is time to think about the kind of education we want to impart. ” he said.