Centre forms panel to probe IIIT-Ranchi student death amid protests

The Union Ministry of Education has constituted a high-level, three-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a first-year student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Ranchi. The intervention follows days of intense protests by students on campus demanding administrative accountability and better medical infrastructure.

The student, identified as Aditya Kumar from Bhagalpur in Bihar, was found dead inside his hostel room on the night of October 10. Peer group members discovered him unresponsive after breaking open his door and rushed him to a private hospital, where attending physicians declared him brought dead. Local police stated that preliminary inquiries indicate the incident occurred during mid-semester examinations.

The tragedy triggered immediate unrest among the student body, with nearly 1,000 learners staging demonstrations on campus and blocking nearby thoroughfares. Agitating students accused the institutional administration of severe negligence, alleging that basic emergency support systems failed during the crisis. Protesters claimed that the campus ambulance lacked necessary medical equipment such as oxygen kits and faced avoidable delays, which they argued hindered timely medical intervention.

In response to the mounting agitation, the Ministry of Education issued an order establishing the probe panel headed by Prof. Rajni Abbi, director of the University of Delhi's South Campus. The committee also includes Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, a senior psychiatrist, and Heera Lal Poonia, deputy secretary in the Department of Higher Education. The panel has been instructed to submit its findings within 15 days.

According to the ministry's mandate, the committee will evaluate the implementation of national guidelines for emotional and mental well-being in higher education institutions. The inquiry will scrutinize the availability and functioning of basic campus facilities, institutional support networks, counselling services, mentoring frameworks, and student grievance redressal mechanisms.

Parallel to the central inquiry, administrative changes were initiated at the public-private partnership institute. Officials confirmed that institute director Rajiv Srivastava was sent on a 30-day leave with immediate effect while administrative reviews proceed. Prof. V. M. S. R. Murthy, director of IIEST Shibpur, has been appointed as the officiating director for a period of one month or until further directives are issued.

Student representatives indicated that demonstrations were temporarily suspended following the administrative action and the formation of the central investigative panel. Local law enforcement authorities and ministry officials continue to examine records and documents as the inquiry progresses.