IIT Delhi Student Death: External Panel Begins Probe, Financial Support Approved

The external inquiry committee formed by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) to investigate the death of 31-year-old MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar has begun its work. The panel was constituted three days ago following demands from protesting students for an external investigation. IIT Delhi has also announced that an External Ombudsperson will be appointed next week as part of its response to concerns raised after the student’s death.

The institute has approved financial assistance for Kumar’s family through its benevolent fund. A separate fund has also been created through voluntary contributions from faculty members, students, staff and alumni. IIT Delhi maintained that it was committed to treating students as active stakeholders and taking sustained measures to safeguard their academic welfare and mental health. The institute also reiterated that it would continue strengthening its support systems for students.

The inquiry committee is headed by Justice Mukta Gupta, a retired judge of the Delhi High Court. Its members include Professor Pratap Sharan, head of the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS New Delhi, four student representatives and the IIT Delhi Registrar, who is serving as Secretary and Convenor. The committee is expected to interact with students, faculty members and administrative offices while reviewing existing protocols and processes connected with student welfare.

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The panel was reconstituted after former Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar, who had initially been appointed chairperson of an IIT Delhi committee, withdrew from the inquiry citing prior commitments. Students had objected to his inclusion, referring to alleged past remarks concerning students and activism. They had also organised efforts, including a signature campaign among alumni, to press for an external inquiry and other demands.

In an email to students on Tuesday, the IIT Delhi Director stated that the committee would engage with students, faculty members and administrative offices before submitting its report within two weeks. The formation of an external inquiry committee was among the principal demands raised by students following Kumar’s death. The inquiry is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and review institutional processes relevant to student welfare.

Against this backdrop, IIT Delhi has also outlined its existing mental healthcare arrangements. The institute maintains that students have round-the-clock access to counsellors and psychiatrists, including professionals from AIIMS and VIMHANS. It also states that external mental healthcare is fully reimbursed and that emergency response protocols and Academic Unit Wellness Committees are in place as the institute reviews and strengthens its student-support mechanisms.

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