Why are students protesting at IIT-Bombay?, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• A 20-year-old Dalit student, Sahil Wakode, died by suicide at IIT-Bombay on September 18.
• His parents alleged caste discrimination and filed an FIR against IIT-Bombay faculty under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
• Students at IIT-Bombay protested, submitting an 18-point charter of demands focusing on mental health support and accountability.
• IIT-Bombay formed a 10-member inquiry committee and accepted the student demands, also apologizing for its initial statement regarding the student's demise.
• The institute suspended Professor Satyanarayan Doolla from the position of Dean of Administrative Affairs.

Detailed Insights:

• The student protests at IIT-Bombay called for an independent investigation, a code of conduct for professors, and student representation in committees.
• Key demands included better handling of malpractice cases, in-person counselling, a round-the-clock psychiatrist, and mental health sensitization.
• Students also sought at least one counsellor for every 250 students and independent audits of the Student Wellness Centre.
• Some student groups, like the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle IIT Bombay, continued protests, demanding the resignation of the Director and Professor Doolla.
• Faculty members were divided, with some questioning the due process followed in handling examination malpractice.
• A report by the National Task Force on mental health of students and prevention of suicides in higher educational institutions highlighted that 13,600 students from disadvantaged communities dropped out of premier institutions between 2018 and 2023.
• This report indicated significant dropouts among OBC, SC, and ST students from IITs and IIMs, despite government support measures.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act: An Indian law enacted to prevent atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• National Task Force on mental health of students and prevention of suicides in higher educational institutions: A body formed to address mental health issues and prevent suicides in higher education.
• Tele MANAS: A national mental health helpline providing free tele-counselling services across India.