GUWAHATI: More than a1000 students of IIT Guwahati staged a protest on September 9 in front of the administrative building following the death of a third-year BTech student who ended his life in his hostel room on the night of September 8. The student, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, was found in his room, and his body was reportedly left unattended for several hours, sparking outrage among the student community.
This incident marks the second suicide at the institute in just 30 days, and students are raising serious concerns about the pressure and policies on campus that may be contributing to such extreme steps.
Talking to GPlus, a student from third year said, "They are making new rules and restrictions on campus without telling us why. For instance, there are new restrictions in the boys’ and girls’ canteens, but no one has explained the reasoning behind these changes."
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"Professors here have too much unchecked power. There's no system to make them accountable or evaluate their actions, and it’s the students who suffer as a result", the student said.
Another PhD student of IIT Guwahati talking to GPlus said, "Every time there’s news about a suicide or death, the institute tries to suppress it. These incidents never make it outside the campus, and we feel like our voices are being ignored."
"They have even placed restrictions on co-ed spaces. We aren’t allowed to use co-ed co-working areas after 12 am, but again, no explanation is given", the student said.
The student demanded by saying, "We want transparency about these deaths. Why did these happen? What were the consequences? We also want open discussions with the friends and families of those who have passed away."
"We are asking for clear communication about what actions are being taken and why. We need transparency on how decisions are made", he told GPlus.
"Students need to be involved in writing the code of conduct. Policies shouldn’t be enforced without consulting us or discussing the reasons behind them.", she told GPlus.
Another student in the protest said, "We need a system that actually holds professors accountable and checks their power. There has to be a way to evaluate their actions and ensure they are doing their jobs responsibly."
"We are also asking for the removal of mandatory attendance for students with backlogs, especially for courses like COS, NSO, and Green Chemistry", the student informed GPlus.
However, condoling the death, IIT Guwahati said it is working closely with the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
A statement said the IIT Guwahati is committed to providing support and resources to help students navigate the challenges they may face.
“We encourage our student community to reach out to our support networks. .. IIT Guwahati reaffirms its commitment to fostering a supportive and safe environment for all students. Extended counselling support is available, enabling students to meet with counsellors after class hours if needed.,” the statement said.
