In the wake of the recent student suicides at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the Student Gymkhana staged a dharna at the L20 grounds on January 19, 2024. Announcing the series of events that occurred during the event, the student journalism body of IIT Kanpur posted on Instagram saying, "While the academic area echoed with slogans throughout the day, and students gathered to raise their concerns, a remarkable sense of unity and solidarity emerged."
"The three incidents, which shook the student community, ultimately led to this protest on January 19th, which extended over 9 hours," it further added. As per the post, the meeting witnessed the participation of the Officiating Director Prof S Ganesh, Dean of Academic Affairs (DOAA) Prof Shalabh, Acting Dean of Students Affairs (DOSA) Prof Pratik Sen and Head of Department (HoD) of Economics Department Prof Vimal Kumar.
The protest gathering dispersed after receiving a signed letter from the administration. According to the student body's post, these are the few among the 16 assurances given in the written letter:
1. A mandatory open house by each department will be conducted within seven days, and the institute will conduct the same within 15 days to discuss the progress of the five-member committee
2. The Standard Monitoring Committee (SMC) implementation will take place within 15 days to improve the living conditions of halls
3. Steps will be taken to improve hostels and civil maintenance work by the DolP (Dean, Infrastructure & Planning) and IWD (Institute Works Department) office and will be conveyed within 14 days
4. The decision about the make-up exams for students failing DC (Department Compulsory) courses in their final year will be updated within 14 days
5. SRS (Simple random sampling) on thesis grade is accepted in principle in the SPGC (State Post Graduate Committee) meeting. However, an improved SRS form will be approved in the next meeting
6. DMC (Doctoral Monitoring Committee) will be implemented in every department within a week; however, the proper system will be completed by the end of the semester. The proposal for MC has been accepted in principle, but the formal proposal will be submitted by January 24
7. A student nominee will be instated in the ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) for student-related cases
8. The Ombuds group can use DMC reports and SRS data, and the provision of automatic grievance redressal in the Ombuds has been accepted. PSG will propose to the five-membered committee to define the action the Ombuds group can take.
9. The proposal for an external DC-level official in the Ombuds committee will be taken to the board of governors, with student representation in the same.
10. Scholarships like MCM (Merit cum Means) and FBM (Free-Basic-Mess) shall be extended to all the students beyond their DP (Design Programme) duration
11. All the PG termination cases are on hold. Students will be asked to resubmit the appeal by Sunday night or Monday afternoon, and the termination decision will be reconsidered
12. The proposal of an institute compulsory course on mental health has been accepted. However, the details are yet to be worked out
13. The institute will talk with the insurance provider to include therapy sessions which will be implemented from next semester
The body stated that the dharna concluded with a candle march at the Open Air Theatre (OAT) at 10 pm on January 19 as a symbol of solidarity and in memory of the deceased.
In the last two months, three student suicides were reported in the institute. Earlier this month, another PhD scholar Vikas Meena from Meerut died by suicide inside the campus.
