IIT Madras student commits suicide

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, April 22, 2023: A 20-year-old student was found dead at the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai yesterday. The second-year student from Maharashtra was pursuing Chemical Engineering.

 

In an unsigned note, recovered from his room, the student has thanked his friends for being nice to him. Police describe him as academically brilliant but devoid of healthy socializing.

If the police investigation confirms suicide it would be the fourth case in IIT-Madras this year.

The institute has a “Be happy" website to help students remain stress-free, and a Kushal Faculty Programme that aims to develop a positive mindset among students. However, many experts say that students are not really prepared to cope with the highly demanding rigour of the B Tech over the next five years.

IIT Madras Director Prof Kamakoti said the institute is taking the issue seriously. Acceptance and culture shock prove to be pressure points for students from backward communities, besides complaints of discrimination on the basis of caste.