UGC forms fact-finding committee to probe Nepali student's death at KIIT

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has formed a fact-finding committee to examine the recent death of a Nepali student at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). The move comes after the Nepal government urged the institute and the Government of India to look into the death of the BTech student from Nepal.

Notably, this is the second death of a Nepali engineering student at the Odisha-based institution in just two-and-a-half months. Prisa Sah, an eighteen-year-old student was found dead in the same floor of the institution where Prakriti Lamba, another Nepali student died by suicide in February 2025.

The committee will be submitting a fact-finding report with findings and recommendations within 10 days of this order, the UGC said.

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Members of fact-finding committee

The UGC has formed a four member fact-finding committee to look into the students suicide cases at the KIIT.

The committee will be investigating the deaths of two Nepali students at the KIIT as per the following term of reference (ToR).

• Examining institutional policies, academic pressure, grievance redressal mechanism, and student support structures.
• Evaluating institution's mental health support system, such as counselling services, intervention, frameworks, faculty sensitisation programmes, and support initiatives.
• The committee will review safety and security protocols, grievance redressal mechanisms, and anti-harrassment measures.
• They will conduct on-site investigation to verify the exact implementation of student safety and well-being policies.
• Interacting with stakeholders, students, faculty members, administrators, and non teaching staff to assess institutional culture, student experience, and challenges.
• Ensuring that the guidelines are being followed for promotion of physical fitness, sports, student health, welfare, psychological, and emotional well being at the KIIT.