IIT-Kharagpur relaxes rules after suicides

Following spate of student suicides on the campus, IIT-Kharagpur management has taken an informed decision to go easy on the academic life of students - reforming the attendance policy , for one - to strike a balance between academics and well-being of students, reports Dipawali Mitra.

Md Asif Qamar , a third-year student of civil engineering, was found hanging in his hostel room on Sunday, a fortnight after the death of 4th year student Aniket Walkar .

Qamar's death is the third in a semester, the fourth in less than a year, and the ninth overall in five years that the premiere institute witnessed. Sources said a few days after the death of Walkar, faculty members were verbally told not to de-register any student from courses over attendance issues.

Amit Patra, acting director of IIT-Kgp , said: "Discussions are on regarding reforms in the attendance policy to ease academic load. But, it will take time, as the final decision will be approved at the Senate. Regarding cases of stress due to de-registration, we are looking into the matter separately."

A senior official of IIT-Kgp said: "We're working to reform attendance policy of the institute, so that academic life of students becomes a bit easier. This is a measured step in striking a balance between well-being of students and academics."