New Delhi, May 3: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has established a four-member fact-finding committee to investigate two student suicides that occurred within a span of four months at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar. The panel has been directed to submit its report within ten days.
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According to an official UGC order issued on Friday, the suicides took place on February 16 and May 1, 2025. In response, the UGC, as the apex regulatory body for higher education in India, has initiated a comprehensive inquiry to examine the circumstances of the incidents and recommend measures to enhance student safety and mental well-being.
The committee will be chaired by Prof. Nageshwar Rao, former Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University. The other members include Prof. Shasikala Wanjari, Vice Chancellor of the National Institute of Planning and Administration, and Prof. H. C. S. Rathore, former Vice Chancellor of the Central University of South Bihar. Sunita Siwach, Joint Secretary of the UGC, will act as the Coordinating Officer.
The panel is tasked with reviewing KIIT’s mental health support infrastructure, including its counselling services, crisis intervention protocols, faculty training initiatives, and peer support mechanisms.
Additionally, the committee will assess institutional policies related to academic stress, grievance redressal systems, and overall student support frameworks. It will also conduct an on-site evaluation to verify the implementation of student welfare policies and engage with various stakeholders — including students, faculty, administrative staff, and support personnel to understand the university’s institutional environment.
The UGC emphasized that the findings from this investigation will help shape future policies to prevent such tragic incidents in Indian higher education institutions.
