The death by suicide of a 21-year-old final-year student at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru on November 10 prompted students to submit a memorandum to the registrar of Azim Premji University on Friday, November 24.
The memorandum highlighted structural issues and demanded the election of the student body, among other points.
When EdexLive reached out to the university for their official comment on the matter, the varsity shared that they are "deeply distressed" by the unfortunate suicide of the student and are doing all that they can to extend support to his family to cope with the devastating loss.
"We have been engaging with family members, including working with both the hospital and investigating authorities to complete all necessary procedural formalities," the spokesperson from the institute went to share. The spokesperson also mentioned that any other suggestion is regrettable.
When it comes to addressing the mental health concerns of the student community, the spokesperson shared that a team of trained mental health professionals have provided socio-emotional support since the inception of the varsity. "They help students learn healthy coping skills to manage their academic demands and navigate personal challenges that may arise during their time at the University, with the intent of ensuring a culture of well-being and positive mental health," they added.
The university also assured that it is offering various other support mechanisms like a dedicated academic resource centre, one-on-one faculty mentor support, peer support and so on.
"The university has been engaging with the students on their demands and suggestions. Several student volunteers have been contributing significantly towards this effort. We are confident that these should be in place in the coming months,” the official said.
