In a deeply tragic incident that underscores a growing crisis in India’s higher education landscape, a 21-year-old student of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur was found dead in his hostel room on Friday morning, marking the fourth unnatural death reported from the campus within the last seven months.
#StudentSuicide #IITCrisis
The deceased, Ritam Mondal, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and a resident of Kolkata, was discovered hanging in his room, Room 203 of Rajendra Prasad (RP) Hall. When his friends noticed that he had not responded to repeated knocks at his door, they alerted the hostel authorities.
The matter was soon escalated to the local Hijli police outpost, and the door was forcibly opened around 11:30 am, only to reveal the lifeless body of a student whose academic journey was nearing completion.
Ritam was rushed to the BC Roy Hospital on campus, where doctors confirmed that he had died.
Police officials have registered a case of unnatural death, stating that while it appears to be suicide, they are awaiting the post-mortem report for official confirmation.
The post-mortem, which will be videographed, is expected to provide further clarity.
#MentalHealthEmergency #CampusDeaths
This heartbreaking incident follows a string of student fatalities at IIT-Kharagpur, revealing a pattern of distress and systemic failure. In just the past few months:
- On January 12, Shaon Malik, a third-year electrical engineering student, died by suicide.
- On April 20, Aniket Walker, a final-year Ocean Engineering student, was found hanging in his hostel.
- On May 4, Mohammad Asif Qamar, a third-year B.Tech student from Bihar, was discovered dead in his room at Madan Mohan Malviya Hall.
These recent incidents come on the heels of the still-controversial case of Faizan Ahmed, a third-year mechanical engineering student from Assam, who was found dead in his hostel in October 2022. Initially classified as a suicide, the case took a chilling turn when the Calcutta High Court, responding to a petition by Faizan’s family, ordered a second post-mortem.
The re-autopsy revealed gunshot and stab wounds, leading forensic experts to conclude it was a homicide.
#JusticeForFaizan #HostelSafety
The court lambasted IIT-Kharagpur for failing to record visible injuries and allegedly ignoring Faizan’s earlier complaints of ragging. The matter is under investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), with narco-analysis tests approved for suspects.
In the wake of these recurring tragedies, IIT-Kharagpur has recently set up a 10-member mental health task force, comprising psychologists, legal experts, counsellors, educationists, police officers, and alumni.
The committee has been tasked with evaluating the existing mental health infrastructure on campus and is expected to submit a comprehensive report within three months.
#MentalHealthTaskForce #InstitutionalReform
Among the short-term steps being taken are:
- An FIR will now be automatically registered for every student death on campus.
- The introduction of a “Campus Mothers” programme, wherein female faculty and staff members serve as informal mentors and emotional support figures for students.
- Training these volunteers in basic counselling skills to ensure they can function as approachable first responders to students in emotional distress.
While these are commendable measures, student organisations and mental health activists argue that such responses are largely reactive and insufficient for addressing the deep-rooted causes of mental health deterioration among youth in India’s elite institutions.
India is facing a mental health emergency on its campuses. The country has long celebrated its IITs and top engineering colleges as temples of talent. But what is being overlooked is the emotional cost of excellence — one that too often results in young lives cut short before their potential is fully realised.
#MentalHealthMatters #SaveStudentLives
Parliamentary data from last year revealed that between 2005 and 2024, a staggering 127 students died by suicide across various IITs.
IIT-Madras leads the list with 26 deaths, followed by IIT Kanpur (18), IIT Kharagpur (14), and IIT Guwahati (13). From January 2018 to March 2023, 33 such suicides were reported, reflecting a persistent crisis in mental well-being in India’s best-known campuses.
Experts identify multiple triggers behind these tragedies: academic stress, peer pressure, social isolation, caste discrimination, lack of faculty-student bonding, unresolved trauma, placement anxiety, and family expectations.
And yet, government investment in mental health resources, early intervention, and campus psychological services remains woefully inadequate.
#MentalHealthFunding #CampusSupportSystems
It is time the Government of India, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and state education departments, treat this issue with the urgency it deserves. There must be:
- Mandatory mental health audits for every centrally funded university and college.
- On-campus counsellors and psychologists in a 1:500 student ratio, as recommended by mental health policy experts.
- 24×7 helplines, trauma support groups, and grievance redressal cells.
- Anti-ragging enforcement cells with greater accountability.
- Annual mental well-being surveys to proactively assess student stress levels.
More than hashtags and helplines, India needs a national campus mental health policy—one that is preventive, inclusive, and structured for long-term support.
#NationalPolicyNeeded #GovernmentMustAct
The youth of India are its greatest asset. Let not their dreams be lost to silence, stigma, or institutional apathy.
It is time for decisive, sustained, and sensitive action — for Ritam, for Faizan, for every student we’ve lost — and for every student still silently struggling.
#StudentsFirst #StopTheSilence #MentalHealthIsHealth
