New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi conducted an open house meeting with students on Sunday to understand the dire situation on the campus. A 21-year-old student of B.Tech final year at the premiere institute died by suicide on September 1. According to the police, the student was on extension as he failed to clear some exams.
During the open house meeting many important things were flagged by the students and academicians. The Head of Department (HoD) of Maths implied how the onus of asking for help remains on the distressed students. Thus, by-passing the need for structural changes to humanise the process of education.
A twitter user @D_Vaivab, shared the news on microblogging site, X (formerly Twitter). He mentioned key points during the discussion.
The issue of Academic Rigour was discussed which feeds on the insecurities of students who comes from diverse backgrounds especially SC/ST communities.
In a long twitter thread, the X user adds, "Professors take pride in how only 20% of a class passes certain compulsory courses on the first attempt."
In the series of tweets, he quotes a student, "Professor X said in the class that they do not like Professor Y because they made a lot of students pass the course that he/she/they is teaching in the current semester.
According to the tweet, another student quote, "We do not need "Vishwa Gyani" professor from MIT to come and lecture us, we would rather prefer a normal professor who can make us understand the subject matter. There is no point in coming to IIT Delhi to end up learning from YouTube videos."
Caste discrimination In Institute
Vaivab Das also mentioned that caste discrimination is still prevalent and remans rampant at the institute. He writes, "It is how castelessness is present as an idea to veil how caste-based sensibilities operate in intricate ways on campus. Not empowering students with information to understand and call out these ways is a form of structural discrimination."
He accused the Student Counselling Services and Framework on campus of being a sham. He further writes, "They do not hold the aptitude to understand identity-based discrimination or mental health issues stemming from it."
He quotes a student, "The Student Counselling Services is so understaffed that we usually do not get an appointment when are actually undergoing duress or feeling mental exhaustion. I do not know if I will be alive till my appointment date comes through."
Hostel Fee remains an issue
A staff member came forward with anonymity that a degree extension student has been living in the IIT Delhi hospital as he/she/they are unable to afford the hostel fees and the staff member had to produce his/her/their documents to vouch for the student.
