‘Have seen 8 suicides’: Why hundreds of IIT Delhi B.Tech students are protesting over Rishikesh Kumar’s death

Rishikesh Kumar was not the first to face problems with securing campus accommodation after a mental health crisis at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. Another master’s student told Careers360 that she “faced similar treatment” in January this year. Students say that problems with hostels are so pervasive, it has moved hundreds of undergraduate B.Tech students to protest as well.

“I was experiencing mental health issues and they took me to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi. Later, despite receiving a fitness certificate from AIIMS, the hostel admin tried to throw me and my stuff out at night, once I came back from hospital,” the postgraduate student told Careers360. She was finally allowed to stay after a counsellor intervened. The student alleged that it was common for students to lose hostel accommodation after hospitalisation or whenever police are involved.

Kumar, a student of MSc Physics, was living outside the campus after being treated for mental health issues at Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (VIMHANS). In a statement to the police, his mother alleged that Kumar wasn’t allotted a hostel and was “insulted” saying “there is no such provision for keeping such a child”. According to protesting students, he had wanted to stay in a hostel but wasn’t allowed but IIT Delhi says “his medical records were reviewed and was again given that he should continue to remain under parental supervision”. Kumar took his own life last week, plunging to his death from the sixth floor of IIT Delhi’s Lecture Hall Complex.

Kumar’s death sparked massive protests on the usually-quiescent campus. On the first day, August 24, all classes were cancelled as students gathered at the LHC, demanding resignations from top officials – deans in charge of student affairs, hostels, and the head of the physics department – and a Rs 1 crore compensation for Kumar’s family.

Kumar’s struggles had resonated with students throughout the campus. “Let's say there are 12,000 students on campus, more than half would have at some point faced a major or minor issue with the administration,” an undergraduate student said. By Saturday, IIT Delhi has made new appointments in several of the key positions but protests continue for the sixth day – one of the longest, say students.

Kumar’s was the second suicide this year and the eighth on campus since 2023 – a count so high it prompted the Supreme Court to take notice and set up a National Task Force.

IIT Delhi student deaths ‘constant’ by BTech 4th year

Previously, most protests at IIT Delhi were organised and mobilised by PhD students with few B.Tech students participating. “Many BTech students come with financial pressure on them because a lot of them take loans, which they are supposed to repay after the end of their course. Their usual schedule is very hectic. They are supposed to do classes, there are projects, there are internships,” explained a PhD student.

This time, it’s different. Undergraduates participating in the protest said they were driven by the number of deaths on campus. “I myself have seen eight suicides on this campus,” said a third-year student. “Many UG students who are here [at the protest] are from third and fourth years – they have been seeing suicides constantly.”

Another UG student added, “The number of student suicides increased rapidly post COVID. This is one of the reasons more UG students are participating in this protest. Student suicides aren't something that is exclusive to masters or PhD students. This is a problem that has been uniform across all kinds of students.”

‘Going in circles’ over admin work: IIT Delhi students

Plus, undergraduate engineering students said they routinely face difficulties navigating academic and administrative processes, which is why Kumar’s repeated efforts to get a hostel seat has so moved them.

“I had this personal experience with the administration where it was a small job. I had to take an extra course for a semester and for that kind of small task, which should have taken 5 to 10 minutes, it took me more than 30 days. They were making me go in circles,” he stated.

Another UG student said Rishikesh Kumar’s experience was relatable because students routinely have to make “several rounds” of offices even for basic academic work.

“Rishikesh was put under pressure because of administrative issues – the administration not taking his side, not giving him the benefit of the doubt. And most of all, they were not ready to give him the kind of help that he needed at that stage in his life,”

“Whatever happened with Rishikesh was very relatable to a lot of students because they themselves have to go through a lot of systemic issues, like, a simple course change or basic administrative work takes them several rounds and still the problem is not resolved,” alleged another student, adding that they are not treated well either. “The tone matters because at the end we all are kids here. Students are also very much willing to understand professors, suggest alternatives.”

Mental health and hostels, academic pressure

Hostel allocation and the alleged mistreatment of students seeking mental health support emerged as another common concern. The master’s student said she was asked to leave her hostel after returning from AIIMS Delhi despite receiving a fitness certificate. “They were just willing to throw me out of the hostel at night and I was kind of scared,” she alleged, adding that the hostel admin was “pretty hostile”.

“We need to question these administrative protocols,” said a PhD student.

Students also linked administrative problems with the broader academic pressure at IIT Delhi. “I think that the administrative issues kind of add to the academic pressure along with the [lack of] basic needs – access to decent food, hygiene, water and counseling for mental health services,” said another undergraduate.

IIT Delhi has made a public statement listing all its mental health support measures, its agreements with AIIMS Delhi and VIMHANS, and professing its concern for student mental health. But students are sceptical. “Even if there is a certain number of counselors and mental health people on campus, I don't think they are being utilised to their maximum potential. And I don't think that the counselors are equipped to address the student issues or qualified to deal with the problems that the students face.”

Another added, “The students face a wide variety of problems and the infrastructure is not helping us enough if it is helping us at all.”

IIT Delhi Suicide: Inquiry, compensation, police

By Saturday, IIT Delhi had constituted and re-constituted an inquiry committee and made a public statement on its mental health support measures and to students, according to the minutes of a meeting, promised Rs 6 lakh in compensation and initiated a fundraiser, mobilising among the alumni. Students demand Rs 1 crore.

IIT Delhi first constituted a five-member external inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances leading to Kumar’s death. The panel was initially headed by former Uttarakhand DGP and IIT Delhi alumnus Ashok Kumar and included the head of psychiatry at AIIMS Delhi, student representatives and the institute registrar. The institute also proposed an external ombudsperson and additional faculty and student mentorship support for students.

But students questioned the composition of the inquiry panel, particularly the appointment of Ashok Kumar who had previously made statements against student protests. The IIT Delhi protesters also objected to the administration’s emphasis on Rishikesh Kumar’s medical history. On August 27, Ashok Kumar recused himself from the inquiry committee and IIT Delhi set up a fresh panel, now headed by retired Delhi High Court judge, Justice Mukta Gupta. It has been given two weeks to examine the case and make recommendations.

Meanwhile, on August 26, the Delhi Police registered a case of abetment to suicide against unidentified persons in connection with Kumar’s death.

Trust between the IIT Delhi administration and students is also collapsing. On Friday evening, IIT Delhi director Rangan Banerjee threatened students with “disciplinary action” if they didn't call off their protests. The protesters, in turn, accuse the administration – specifically, the campus’ head of security – of filming them “without consent… in an attempt to scare students”.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.