Ministry orders probe into IIIT Ranchi student's death; students protest over hostel facilities
A first-year student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Ranchi, Jharkhand, was found dead in his hostel room late on October 10, the police said. The student was from Bhagalpur in Bihar. He has not been named in official statements.
The Ministry of Education said in a statement that it has constituted a three-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the death. The committee will be headed by Prof. Rajni Abbi, director of the South Campus of the University of Delhi, and will include a senior psychiatrist and an officer of the Ministry as members.
IIIT Ranchi is a public-private partnership institute established under the PPP model, under which such institutes are set up with the Central government, State governments and industry partners, the Ministry noted.
According to the Ministry, the committee has been mandated to examine the circumstances of the incident and to assess the implementation of existing guidelines, with particular reference to the availability and functioning of basic facilities, institutional support systems, counselling and mentoring arrangements, and student grievance redressal mechanisms. It will also identify systemic gaps and recommend measures to strengthen student well-being and help prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The committee will interact with stakeholders and examine relevant records and documents as required.
The Ministry added that it is making interim administrative arrangements to ensure the smooth functioning of the institute, keeping the interests of students in mind. The statement did not indicate a timeline for the committee to submit its report.
According to the available account of events, around 11.30 p.m. on October 10, the student's friends became concerned when he did not open his hostel room door. They broke the door down and found him unresponsive. He was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The cause of death is yet to be ascertained. The police are expected to question other students living in the hostel to gather more information about the incident.
As news of the death spread across the campus, students staged a demonstration and the police were deployed to control the situation. Protesting students blocked the Khelgaon-Tatisilwai road, causing traffic snarls on both sides.
The students alleged that the institute's director was responsible for the poor management of the hostel and demanded his removal. They also alleged that the institute lacked basic amenities, accused the management of not taking their concerns seriously, and raised questions about emergency medical facilities such as ambulances and oxygen. These are the claims of the protesting students. The Ministry's committee, which has been asked to look into basic facilities and grievance redressal, is expected to examine these issues, while the police inquiry will focus on the circumstances of the death.
The incident has focused attention on the systems meant to support students living on campus, from counselling and mentoring to grievance redressal and emergency medical care, at institutions run under the PPP model, where the Ministry of Education is a key stakeholder.
Those in distress or in need of counselling can seek help. In India, the Tele-MANAS national mental health helpline can be reached at 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, and the KIRAN helpline is available at 1800-599-0019.
