The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, has reportedly suspended Professor Ashish Sen, who served as the PhD supervisor of Sachin Jain, a student who took his own life on March 31, states IIT Madras student bodies. The incident raised concerns about possible mistreatment and humiliation meted out by Professor Sen which drove the student to take his own life.
Voices of Students - IITM, a student body at IIT Madras, revealed the suspension on their X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “Even though IIT Madras has not made an official statement on the same, we have received confirmation from some faculties that Prof. Sen was suspended after the report was discussed in multiple Senate and BoG meetings with strong opposition from a section of faculties.”
Quoting a faculty member who is a part of the administration, a student informed that all procedures mandated by the Government of India have been followed and Prof Ashish Sen has been under suspension since Friday, November 24. However, the institute has made a decision not to publicise this at the moment, they said.
To recall, Sachin Jain was found dead at his residence in Velachery after he put up a WhatsApp status saying, “I am sorry, I am not good enough”. In response to student protests, an inquiry committee was formed in April. Following students' demand that Sachin's PhD guide be restricted from the lab and suspended till the investigation is ongoing, on April 13, Director of IIT Madras, Prof V Kamakoti announced the restriction of Prof Ashish Sen from visiting the lab.
It was also the allegation of students, and brother of Sachin Kumar Jain, Bhawesh Jain, that it was the inhumane behaviour meted out by the PhD guide that pushed Sachin to take the extreme step. Sachin's friends had further alleged mistreatment which seemed to have begun when Sachin took two days of absence to attend a conference without informing his guide last year.
On August 14, a report with the findings and recommendations was submitted by the committee to the director of the institute, Prof V Kamakoti.
An institute spokesperson told EdexLive, "Prof Ashish Sen has been suspended based on the direction of the Board of Governors. The institute is following all due procedures."
