Justice Mukta Gupta to Head Panel Probing IIT Delhi Student Death
Retired Delhi High Court judge Justice Mukta Gupta will head an inquiry panel examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a 31-year-old MSc student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, officials said on Thursday. The reconstitution of the panel occurred as student demonstrations continued on the campus for a fourth consecutive day.
The committee was revised after former Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar recused himself from the post of chairperson. Students had opposed his inclusion on the panel, citing past remarks in which he purportedly linked youth-led agitations with radicalisation.
According to an IIT Delhi official, the new external probe panel is chaired by Justice Mukta Gupta. Its other members include Pratap Sharan, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS Delhi, along with the IIT Delhi Registrar and two student representatives.
The student died, allegedly by suicide, on the IIT Delhi campus on August 22. The incident triggered protests from multiple student bodies starting Monday over what they described as systemic issues. Student groups claimed that eight students have died by suicide at the institute over the past 30 months, including two this year.
Protesters on Thursday reiterated several demands, including the payment of ₹1 crore in compensation to the mother of the deceased student and the resignation of the Associate Dean of Student Welfare. The students said they were collating testimonies and evidence from current and former students regarding alleged insensitive remarks by the Dean, as well as disparaging comments by faculty and staff regarding suicides.
In response, the IIT Delhi administration issued a statement affirming its commitment to student well-being and detailing ongoing support measures. The institute stated it has planned a new curriculum for 2025 to reduce credit loads in the first semester and has removed the minimum CGPA requirement for the BTech degree.
The administration also highlighted existing mental healthcare and support infrastructure, which includes 24/7 access to counsellors, psychiatrists from AIIMS and VIMHANS, fully reimbursed external care, Academic Unit Wellness Committees, and grievance redressal channels such as specialised SC/ST/OBC cells and the Board for Student Welfare.
