Education Ministry sets up committee to probe IIIT Ranchi student death

The Ministry of Education has formed a three-member committee to probe the death of a first-year student at IIIT Ranchi. The panel will examine the circumstances and institutional support systems. The student allegedly died by suicide on campus.

Education Ministry Constitutes Probe Committee

The Ministry of Education has taken cognisance of the unfortunate death of a student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Ranchi campus.

According to the Ministry of Education, in order to examine the circumstances and related issues in detail, a three-member committee headed and chaired by Professor Rajni Abbi, Director, South Campus, University of Delhi, along with a senior psychiatrist and a senior officer from the Ministry of Education, has been constituted as members.

Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Ranchi is a Public-Private Partnership Institute established under the (PPP Mode).

The Committee has been mandated to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and assess the implementation of the Guidelines, with particular reference to the availability and functioning of basic facilities, institutional support systems, counselling and mentoring arrangements, and student grievance redressal mechanisms. It will identify any systemic gaps and recommend appropriate measures to strengthen student well-being and help prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

The Committee shall interact with stakeholders and examine relevant records and documents as required.

The Ministry is undertaking suitable interim administrative arrangements to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the Institute, keeping in view the interests and well-being of the students.

Director Recounts Incident Details

The case pertains to a first-year student of the IIIT, Ranchi, who allegedly died by suicide on campus, with institute Director Rajiv Srivastava saying that the administration would examine whether any factors that could have been addressed might help prevent similar incidents in the future.

According to Srivastava, the student, identified as Aditya Kumar from Bhagalpur, Bihar, had taken admission in August and was appearing for his mid-semester examinations.

Sharing details of the incident, the director said that the institute had been informed of a power outage on campus the previous night. During that time, the student allegedly locked his room from the inside and died by suicide by hanging.

"Subsequently, his fellow students broke open the door and took him out," Srivastava said.

He added that an ambulance stationed on the campus transported the student to a hospital within minutes. However, doctors declared him brought dead.

The director further said that doctors had informed the institute that the bone at the back of the student's neck was fractured.

"The incident itself was beyond our control, but if there were any factors that could have been addressed to prevent such an incident in the future, we will certainly examine them," Srivastava said.

(ANI)

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