AN INQUIRY REPORT KEPT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: IIT DELHI FACES QUESTIONS OVER INSTITUTIONAL FAILURES AFTER STUDENT’S DEATH
November 4, 2026
NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has withheld the findings of an external inquiry committee investigating the death of MSc student Rishikesh Kumar, even as the panel is learnt to have identified institutional lapses in the handling of his circumstances before his death in August.
The external committee, headed by retired Delhi High Court judge Justice Mukta Gupta, was constituted following student protests demanding an independent investigation into the death. The committee submitted its report last month, but the institute has reportedly chosen not to make its findings public. Instead, it constituted an internal review panel to examine the recommendations and suggest administrative measures.
Rishikesh had reportedly experienced mental health difficulties following the death of his father and received treatment at the Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (VIMHANS) for approximately a month. After returning, he struggled academically, sought withdrawal from a semester and went home. When he returned to the campus in the last week of July, he discovered that he had lost his hostel accommodation, forcing him to stay outside the campus. His family alleged that the situation increased his isolation and worsened his emotional distress.
He was also asked to submit a medical clearance certificate from the IIT Delhi hospital before his semester-withdrawal request could be approved.
According to sources familiar with the external committee's findings, the panel identified shortcomings in the handling of the student's situation by the offices of Associate Dean of Hostel Management Prabal Talukdar and Associate Dean of Students' Welfare Sreedevi Upadhyayula.
Rather than releasing the external committee's report, the institute relied on recommendations from its internal review panel. The latter called for greater sensitivity in dealing with vulnerable students, particularly those returning after extended medical or personal leave.
The internal panel specifically recommended that the hostel management office be cautioned to handle requests from vulnerable students with appropriate sensitivity. It also advised the students' welfare office to address such cases in a manner that does not dehumanise students.
Following these recommendations, the institute has reportedly decided to organise sensitisation programmes conducted by experienced mental health professionals. The proposed sessions will focus on confidentiality, dignity, appropriate communication and timely referral of students requiring assistance.
The administrative developments have also raised questions about accountability. After the protests, Prabal Talukdar was appointed head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, while Sreedevi Upadhyayula continued as Associate Dean of Students' Welfare.
Students have criticised the decision to withhold the external committee's findings, arguing that the inquiry was established only after sustained campus protests and that its conclusions should not be concealed from the academic community.
An email sent to IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee seeking clarification about the external report had not received a response at the time of publication.
The case has renewed concerns about institutional responsibility, student welfare mechanisms and the treatment of individuals facing mental health difficulties within highly competitive academic environments. The central question remains whether the institute will publicly disclose the findings of its external inquiry and explain what corrective action will follow.
