'Feeling betrayed': IIT Guwahati students upset over unmet promises amid rising suicides

NEW DELHI: The students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati are discontent with the actions taken by the institute regarding the recent student suicides. The IITians expressed a sense of betrayal over unfulfilled promises such as resignations announced by the administration and denial to academic load as one of the reasons behind student deaths. The academic policy changes are only on paper, claim students.

Earlier, the institute announced a mandatory medical check-up of students at the time of admissions along with other initiatives to address students’ grievances following the deaths of four students which led to massive protests by fellow students.

"The Gymkhana student affairs body had announced the new counselling initiatives on September 21 along with other academic changes. However they have not obliged to the resignations they had announced earlier. Also, they are still not accepting the fact that academic load had played a part in the particular case. The admin has communicated the changes that are going to take place to the student gymkhana body. But nothing has actually started happening,” an IITG student told Careers360.

During open house sessions conducted on September 9 and 10 by the IIT in response to the protests, the students came up with 15 agendas and demands such as resignation of the dean of academic affairs KV Krishna and professor Vinay Wagh, formal apology from the management, relaxation in attendance policies among others. The IIT students believe that the academic load, 75% attendance rule, and backlogs took the life of a third-year engineering student.

IIT Guwahati policy changes

Among the policy changes, intimated by the Students’ Gymkhana Council to the IITians through a mail, are reconsideration of the Failed due to low attendance (FA) policy, reinstatement of summer-term courses for students to clear backlogs, assigning of faculty advisor to a maximum of 15 students, and onboarding of 24*7 counselors.

Besides the summer-term courses, there will also be a supplementary or grade improvement exam for students, scheduled around July, to either clear backlogs or improve their grades up to 6, the student council informed while stating its belief that low attendance should not be a criterion to fail a student.

Extending personal support through faculty advisors, the institute wants to ensure a more personalized relationship between students and their teachers to help navigate academic journey and struggles, if any. In addition to increasing the number of counsellors on the IIT Guwahati campus, the institute is, as per the council, developing a system where student affairs, faculty advisors, academic affairs, and counselors will work together to identify and support students who may be struggling.

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Not only will peer support volunteers be trained for gatekeeping to help students, faculty members will be sensitized to handle difficult situations faced by students. Teachers will be reviewed on their performance in these matters, the council stated.

“These are just some of the changes we are working on, and I want you to know that this is only the beginning. Our voices have been heard, and we are committed to creating a healthier, more supportive environment for everyone,” said the student senate chairman and vice-president of the Students’ Gymkhana Council in the mail.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.