The IIT-Bombay set up a 12-member commission to investigate the events surrounding Solanki’s death, but failed to credit it (representative image)
Dr. Sarkar told Lok Sabha that a total of 61 suicides have been committed in such institutions in the past five years. His response was “33 cases of suicide by IITs, 24 cases by NITs and 4 cases by IIMs have been reported”
The suicide of first-year IIT-Bombay student Darshan Solanki raised questions about caste discrimination in central institutions in the Lok Sabha. S Venkatesan, a member of parliament from CPI-M, questioned the Ministry of Education about student suicides, particularly by students from SC and ST communities. He also asked the MoE for data on the cells of SC/ST students in central higher education institutions. In a written response to the Lok Sabha, the State Minister of Education Dr Subhas Sarkar said that 19 of 23 IITs, 14 of 25 IIITs, 26 of 32 NITs and all IISERs and IIMs have SC/ST student cells.
He said the remaining institutions have “established mechanisms such as the Equal Opportunity Cell, Student Complaint Cell, Student Complaint Committee, Student Social Club, Liaison Officers and Liaison Committee to address any complaints from SC/ST students. “
Dr. Sarkar further told the House of Representatives that a total of 61 suicides have been committed in such institutions in the past five years. His response was “33 cases of suicide by IITs, 24 cases by NITs, and 4 cases by IIMs have been reported.”
Darshan Solanki, a chemical engineering student from Ahmedabad, reportedly died by suicide on February 12, the day after the end of his semester exams. According to authorities, Solanki jumped from the seventh floor of his hostel block on the IIT grounds. In a subsequent development, his family alleged that Solanki had been subjected to caste-based discrimination while on campus.
The IIT-Bombay set up a 12-member commission to investigate the events surrounding Solanki’s death, but failed to credit it. The commission’s interim report, submitted March 2, said no “specific evidence of direct caste discrimination” had been found.
According to Indian Express, a professor sent Sharmila an email to all faculty members on March 6, alleging that the committee had failed to address “systemic causes for the deadly prevalence of academic anxiety on this campus.”
The minister also did not mention the alleged systemic discrimination in his answer, but only referred to “psychological stress”. “The Institute further strengthens its existing mechanism for prevention and early detection of psychological stress,” his response read.
In one of the questions, Venkatesan wrote about one of the chief counselors of IIT Bombay’s Student Wellness Center. He claimed that the institution admitted that this person had signed an anti-reservation memorandum. He asks if this doesn’t detract from “SC/ST students’ confidence to approach [said person] for their grievances”.
Dr. Sarkar said, “After the matter came to the knowledge of the institute in 2022, the person has been removed from the position of chief advisor at the Student Welfare Center. IIT Bombay has appointed a new person responsible for the Student Wellness Centre. The institute has begun recruiting one counselor each from the SC and ST communities so that students can approach them for their grievances.
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