Govt sets up 3-member panel set up to examine death of IIIT Ranchi student

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Education on Tuesday said a three-member panel has been set up to examine the death of a student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Ranchi.

The panel will be headed by Rajni Abbi, South Campus Director, University of Delhi, it said.

IIIT Ranchi is a public-private partnership institute.

The incident came to light on Saturday night when hostel inmates alerted the institute administration after finding the room of the first-year student locked from the inside. The student was found hanging from the ceiling in his room.

"The Ministry of Education has taken cognizance of the unfortunate death of a student at IIIT Ranchi campus. In order to examine the circumstances and related issues in detail, a three-member committee has been constituted," a statement said.

"The panel has been mandated to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and assess the implementation of the guidelines, with particular reference to the availability and functioning of basic facilities, institutional support systems, counselling and mentoring arrangements, and student grievance redressal mechanisms," the ministry said in the statement.

The panel will be headed by Abbi and comprise a senior psychiatrist and a senior officer from the Ministry of Education.

"The panel will identify any systemic gaps and recommend appropriate measures to strengthen student well-being and help prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The committee shall interact with stakeholders and examine relevant records and documents as required, the statement said.

"The Ministry is undertaking suitable interim administrative arrangements to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the institute, keeping in view the interests and well-being of the students," it said.

Several students have been protesting on the IIIT Ranchi campus following the incident. They have alleged that college authorities were at fault because the victim was not taken to the hospital on time.