Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasised that Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) should have zero tolerance for any kind of discrimination on campus. He took part in discussions after inaugurating the 55th IIT Council meeting, being hosted by IIT Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, April 18.
Discussions in the meeting pertained to the issues of mental health and wellness of students in the backdrop of alleged suicides. Expressing his grief over the recent student suicides in IIT Bombay and IIT Madras, Pradhan called upon the directors to be proactive in providing all kinds of support to students, including developing a robust mechanism of zero tolerance for discrimination in institutes, as per a report by The New Indian Express.
What could be the reason behind suicides?
Professor Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar, pointed out underlying societal, psychological and other health issues as possible reasons behind depression among students. The council focussed on the need for a robust grievance redressal system, increasing psychological counselling services, reducing pressure, and highlighting the importance of reducing fear of failure or rejection among students.
The minister asserted that IITs should be a vehicle for lok kalyan (public welfare). He added that the Education Ministry was committed to transforming IITs into world-class innovation and entrepreneurial universities. "IITs being the premier technical institutions of our country strengthen India's brand globally and create solutions for global welfare. Our IITs will be the torchbearers of a Vikasit and Aatmanirbhar Bharat (developed and independent India)," Pradhan said.
According to a report by PTI, the Ministry of Education has revealed that 34 suicides have been recorded in IITs between 2014-2021. The ministry had asked all IITs in a Council meeting in 2010 to open wellness centres and seek the services of professional counsellors on a mandatory basis, as per a report by The Economic Times.
What the IIT Council is all about
The Council is the apex coordination body of all 23 IITs and it met after a gap of two years. The meeting was attended by University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Chairman Dr TG Sitharam and Director of IIT Bhubaneswar Professor Shreepad Karmalkar among others.
Stressing the need for the development of the next 25-year vision for the IITs, the council decided that each IIT shall deliberate with faculty, students and other stakeholders and finalise their long-term vision by next year. It also discussed measures to overcome language barriers to reach out to students in rural India and make teaching-learning, including technological tools available in regional languages, as per TNIE.
