Walks with faculty among steps in IIT plan to prevent student suicides

Amid four suicide cases last year at IIT Guwahati, the institute has announced initiatives for students, including counselling sessions, morning walks with faculty members and stress-escape workshops.

After a series of suicides, the major grievance of the students was that the institute had failed to respond to students’ complaints of mental harassment and stress.

The institute has now planned to rope in former Army personnel who would interact with the students and give the feedback to the counsellors.

“We have established a dedicated mental health and counselling system in the form of a Centre for Holistic Wellbeing. Saathi Counselling Club, a part of this centre consisting of student volunteers, supports fellow students in their mental and overall wellbeing with the help of professional counsellors,” IIT-Guwahati Director Devendra Jalihal said.

The institute has also started hiring nutritionists who would take care of the students’ health in order to curb anxiety and stress.

“We are exploring roping in retired Army personnel as hostel special stewards who will routinely interact with the students to make them comfortable and share their observations with the counsellors. All of this will be done in a confidential manner and while ensuring that the students do not feel intimidated or there is no violation of their privacy,” Jalihal said.

Perumal Alagarsamy, the dean of student affairs, said that the freshers would be acclimatised in the first week of the session. The institute will have ice-breaking sessions in each of its hostels so that the students build rapport with their batchmates and professors before the start of classes.

“We have decided that for the first week, when the freshers arrive on campus, there will be no classes but an acclimatisation programme so they do not feel out of place. The students will be invited for morning walks with faculty members so they are able to build a rapport with each other before entering the classroom,” Alagarsamy said.

He said that the ice-breaking sessions aim to raise awareness about mental health and overall wellbeing while acquainting the students with the resources and the support available through the counselling cell and the Centre for Holistic Wellbeing.

IIT Guwahati has also roped in ‘Your Dost’ — a start-up incubated at the institute — to provide round-the-clock access to the counsellors.

“The counselling schedule of the students will be prepared in such a way that they do not coincide with the academic timetable. These mandatory interactions will help the students familiarise themselves with the counsellors and the counselling services available on campus,” Alagarsamy said.

Last year, students pointed out that the institute’s policy of mandatory 75 per cent attendance policy led to the failure of several students.

In September 2024, the institute had announced that freshers would undergo mandatory one-time health check-up which would help in giving tailored support to students.