A 27-year-old PhD scholar was found deceased in his locked room at IIT Kharagpur on September 20, 2025, and subsequently declared dead at the institute’s B.R. Roy Hospital. Following the discovery, IIT Kharagpur informed local police and stated its full cooperation with authorities, with the director expressing condolences.
This incident marks another in a series of student deaths at the institution. Previous cases include a 21-year-old B. Tech student found dead in July, a 22-year-old third-year B.Tech student found dead in May, a 22-year-old final year student who ended his life in April, and a 21-year-old third-year electrical engineering student. The Supreme Court has previously questioned the institute regarding the frequency of student deaths and asked why so many students were dying by suicide, seeking reports and clarification on investigations.
In response to these events and increasing mental health concerns, IIT Kharagpur has implemented several initiatives. These include an integrated mental health support system, a 10-member committee comprising psychologists, legal professionals, educationists, counsellors, and alumni, a ‘campus mother’ programme, and an AI-driven student welfare application named HEART.
Source: www.thehindu.com