Mind the gap: IIT Guwahati’s suicide crisis exposes shortcomings in mental health support

Guwahati, Sept 10: The recent suicide of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati student has once again highlighted the mental health issues faced by students in prestigious institutions.

On Monday, a third-year B.Tech Computer Science Engineering (CSE) student from Uttar Pradesh was found dead at his hostel accommodation, marking the fourth suicide death (including one suspected case outside the campus in April) at the institute this year.

According to a fellow student, the victim was struggling with significant mental trauma after being barred from internship opportunities due to a backlog in one of his semester papers due to low attendance.

“There is a paper called Elementary Number Theory and Algebra in the CSE programme, taught by professors from the Mathematics department. One professor mandated a minimum of 75% attendance. The victim, who was occupied with medical treatment and other issues, found it challenging to meet this requirement, resulting in a backlog. In fact, he fell just short of meeting the minimum attendance criteria by 1%,” the student, who requested anonymity, claimed.

The fellow IIT student further informed that despite passing the exam, he was marked FA (Failed due to Attendance Shortage) by the institution. Consequently, this result prevented him from applying for internships as most companies participating in the campus internship programmes had a criterion of “no backlogs allowed”.

“Unable to apply for internships, he was overwhelmed by mental trauma. He was also dealing with several medical conditions, which he had informed the faculty about, but they did not heed them,” the student added.

The student also mentioned that approximately 40 students in the CSE department faced similar attendance issues. “Like him, 40 students were initially marked FA in the paper, but this number was later reduced to 20 after most of them appealed the decision,” he stated.

One B.Tech student told The Assam Tribune that unable to cope with the mounting mental pressure, the victim had visited the support cell for mental health in the campus but he didn’t receive much help from the counsellors.

The fellow student stated that many a time, several students have complained about the inefficiency of the counsellors in the support cell but weren’t satisfied with the “help” they received. “It's as if someone goes there with a problem and ends up overthinking it, even though it wasn't as stressful as it seemed,” he said.

Experts speak

Experts argue that simply having a mental health support cell in educational institutes is not sufficient. Access to the cell and effective engagement with students are also crucial for assisting those struggling with mental health issues and preventing suicides.

Jyotishmita Das, a Bengaluru-based psychologist said that often educational institutions require minimum attendance to ensure students regularly attend their classes, but some students struggle to meet these requirements due to various issues. In such cases, effective intervention by the administration is crucial, even with a support cell in place.

“Many institutions have support cells, but it’s important to consider how accessible these resources are and whether students are aware of them at all. In some cases, students may not even know that a support cell exists. Raising awareness about these resources is essential for ensuring that students know they can seek help,” she said.

She further highlighted the stigma surrounding mental health issues, which prevents many individuals from openly sharing their deepest, darkest feelings.

When asked why students take the extreme step despite institutions offering support cells, Nikita Hazarika, Founder & Clinical Psychologist at Ashwas Mental Health, Guwahati said that it’s crucial that these cells engage effectively with students.

“While counselling sessions may be available, regular mental health programmes should be conducted weekly in various classrooms to actively involve students. It is also challenging for counsellors to monitor every student individually. Therefore, organising weekly group discussions and tracking issues through regular engagement is essential,” she said.

As a solution, Hazarika suggested that planning daily activities can help manage pressure and recommended taking five minutes each day to talk to loved ones when feeling low.

Das further emphasized that many people are unaware of the importance of mental health. “Some may think, ‘If I can handle it, why can’t they?’ This mindset is problematic. Everyone should have a safe, open space to discuss their suicidal thoughts without judgment. Implementing such changes could help prevent the loss of many precious lives,” she added.

Whether mental health support cells effectively assist students in distress is a matter of debate, but it is clear that IITs, India’s prestigious institutions, are grappling with a troubling rise in student suicides that demands serious attention.

Alarmingly, nine IIT students have taken their own lives in the past nine months, raising concerns about the intense academic pressures they face and the role of the institutions in addressing these issues.