Case of KIIT Suicides: After two Nepalese students tragically died at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar in less than three months, the University Grants Commission acted decisively.

Only a few weeks had passed since another Nepalese student, Prakriti Lamsal, committed suicide on February 16 when a 20-year-old undergraduate student was discovered dead in her dorm room on May 1. The university’s student welfare and mental health systems have come under increasing scrutiny as a result of these events, which have rocked the campus.

In response, the UGC established a fact-finding committee led by former IGNOU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nageshwar Rao. The group’s members include UGC Joint Secretary Sunita Siwach, Shashikala Wanjari (VC, NIEPA), and HCS Rathore (former VC, Central University of South Bihar).

The panel will investigate academic demands, institutional regulations, grievance redressal methods, the efficacy of mental health support services, and the circumstances surrounding both suicides. In order to evaluate the campus environment and institutional culture, the committee will visit KIIT and speak with students, instructors, administrators, and support personnel in person.

Prioritize student safety, mental health, and accountability.
Growing worries regarding student safety and the effectiveness of KIIT’s support systems are reflected in the probe’s urgency.

Following accusations of harassment, institutional carelessness, and even Nepal’s diplomatic interference in the prior case involving Prakriti Lamsal, the university came under fire for how it handled the situation.

The UGC committee is entrusted with assessing not only policy compliance but also the practical application of safety procedures, counseling services, crisis response frameworks, and peer support programs in light of the most recent fatality. In order to suggest strong measures to avoid such tragedies in the future, the panel is anticipated to examine compliance with anti-harassment policies and student welfare standards.

The Prakriti Lamsal Case: KIIT was already heavily impacted by Prakriti Lamsal’s suicide on February 16. After Lamsal, a Nepali BTech student, was discovered dead in her dorm room, there were demonstrations and accusations of institutional neglect and harassment.

Following the incident, the Nepali Embassy intervened, police arrested Nepali students, and the university ordered them to leave. The present problem was caused by the unanswered questions and increased tensions from this previous occurrence, which makes the UGC’s action even more crucial.

The goal of the fact-finding committee’s work as it gets underway is to identify the underlying reasons of these catastrophes and make sure that KIIT and other institutions fortify their support networks in order to protect the wellbeing of their students. It is hoped that the study, which is due in ten days, would include practical suggestions to improve campus safety, accountability, and mental health services in an effort to stop more losses and rebuild trust among students and their families.