IIT Kanpur Strengthens Mental Health and Medical Support for Students

IIT Kanpur has enhanced its counselling services by recruiting additional professionals for the welfare of students. This includes more counsellors and hostel managers, specifically to address the medical requirements of the students. Check details here 

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has taken up several initiatives to support student welfare. In response to recent suicide incidents on campus, the institute has established a specialized centre for counselling services. Additionally, IIT Kanpur has arranged for weekly visits by psychiatrists, employed hostel managers to oversee student needs, organized interactive events in hostels, and launched mental health awareness programs to foster a supportive and informed campus environment.

The Institute Counselling Service (ICS) at the institute features a team of six professional counsellors, including clinical psychologists, student volunteers, and faculty advisors. Furthermore, the institute maintains an affiliation with three certified psychiatrists. IIT Kanpur arranges for these psychiatrists to visit the campus weekly, during which time students in need of medication are directed to them for consultation and care.

Measures for Student Welfare at IIT Kanpur 

Earlier this month, two students of IIT Kanpur died by suicide. An MTech student and a first year PhD student were found hanging from a ceiling fan in separate incidents. Following the recent cases, the institute has taken steps to strengthen its counselling service by hiring additional counsellors and hostel managers to take care of medical needs of the students: 

• Strengthening the PG core counselling team to respond faster and also provide individualized mental health support to students
• Regular discussions at the department levels to identify issues of academic stress, isolation and other difficulties faced by the students
• Senior PG students will hand-hold new students to ease the transition and reduce any feeling of alienation
• Interactive hostel-level events will keep students engaged in a positive and interactive environment and build community support
• Mental health awareness programmes will be conducted for every semester 

IIT Kanpur has also established a five-member review committee tasked with addressing and efficiently resolving student issues. The panel has already received specific inputs from individual departments based on their interaction at open houses with students. Additionally, the panel is collecting feedback from alumni and other stakeholders. Based on this input, the committee will formulate targeted recommendations to be presented to the institute's administration, Senate, and possibly the Board.

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