IIT Delhi to set up external inquiry after student suicide sparks protests

IIT Delhi will constitute an external inquiry committee to examine the circumstances leading to the death of MSc student Rishikesh Kumar, while it proposed the appointment of an external ombudsperson to address student grievances that remain unresolved through existing mechanisms.

The institute also said it would continue to strengthen its mental-health support system, which currently includes 15 on-campus counsellors, one full-time psychiatrist and two part-time psychiatrists from AIIMS and VIMHANS. It said treatment costs were borne by the institute. The institute is also providing financial assistance to Kumar’s family through contributions from faculty, students and staff.

The measures came after students held protests on Monday and Tuesday following Kumar’s death on August 22. Hundreds of students boycotted classes and staged a sit-in at the Lecture Hall Complex before moving to the Director’s office, demanding an independent inquiry and accountability over alleged administrative lapses.