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The Print
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
KIIT to blame for suicides of Nepalese students, says UGC; orders academic audit
Looking into the suicides, a UGC fact-finding committee led by Professor Nageshwar Rao has submitted the report, concluding that the university's conduct amounted to criminal liability. 'Instead of punishment, they (university) favoured the boy by pushing [for] forced illegal compromise with the girl. Later on, this led to suicide. The suicide case could have been averted. Members of the committee and senior administrative personnel of the university are liable for criminal punishment as per law,' the report has said. The consecutive suicides of two Nepalese students rocked the KIIT campus this year—third-year engineering student Prakriti Lamsal on 16 February and first-year BTech student Prisha Shah on 1 May. New Delhi: A fact-finding report by the University Grants Commission (UGC) has squarely blamed the May suicide of a Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) student, Prisha Shah, on the 'unlawful' actions of the university. The UGC has also called for criminal proceedings against the university administration as well as Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) members involved in handling a sexual harassment case brought to the fore by KIIT student Prakriti Lamsal, who died by suicide earlier in February this year. Following the first suicide, that of Lamsal, Nepalese students protested against the university. However, the university responded to the protests with force, coercing students off the KIIT campus after issuing a 'sine die' closure notice, with no future date fixed for the withdrawal of the notice. Security guards allegedly 'manhandled' the protesting Nepalese students, escalating the crisis into a Nepal-India diplomatic issue. The UGC report, now submitted to the Ministry of Education, investigated the circumstances leading to the suicides of the Nepalese students. It has highlighted grave lapses in crisis management, student welfare, and institutional governance at KIIT, held the university leadership accountable for the suicides, and recommended sweeping reforms. Speaking to ThePrint, a KIIT spokesperson said, 'KIIT-DU (KIIT Deemed to be University) is currently reviewing the contents of the report and analysing it thoroughly in its entirety. As a responsible institution, the university will take necessary steps to implement the recommendations in a time-bound and appropriate manner, in keeping with the highest standards of academic and administrative governance.' Also Read: 'No one can touch me'—Harassment charge against Krishna Kalpit shakes Hindi literary world KIIT's systemic failures The UGC fact-finding panel has stated that the KIIT administration 'needs to learn a lot,' considering its handling of Prakriti Lamsal's sexual harassment complaints preceding her suicide. 'This unlawful action of the university led to the suicide later on,' said the report. Weeks before her suicide, Lamsal had twice reported serious allegations of sexual harassment against her peer, Advik Srivastava. The report has further noted that the failure to address her allegations contributed to the second suicide of Prisha Shah, another Nepalese student at the university. The report has found the university-constituted ICC to have failed in its duty of taking lawful action and conducting transparent investigations into the reported sexual harassment case. Instead, the university had chosen an 'illegal compromise' to settle the two complaints raised by Lamsal in the case, the report has stated, adding that the administration 'prioritised the reputation of the university over regulations, law of the land, and international relations of the country'. The report has also criticised KIIT administration's use of 'brute force' against students protesting Lamsal's death while opting not to engage in dialogue. Calling the issuance of the sine die closure notice that forced Nepalese students out of their hostel 'casual decision-making,' the report noted its adverse impact on India-Nepal bilateral relations. The report also highlighted the gaps in the induction of Nepalese students, noting a lack of institutional protocols for orientation, cultural integration, or crisis support. It has highlighted poor hostel conditions, 'substandard' facilities, and Nepalese and Indian students housed in one room, without any consideration for their cultural sensitivities. The UGC has also flagged a disproportionate student intake relative to available infrastructure. 'The existing hostels, classrooms, and welfare services are inadequate to accommodate the real intake,' its report stated. KIIT's actions & what UGC says The UGC report has not only included the 'action taken report' submitted by KIIT but also the subsequent recommendations by the fact-finding commission. KIIT has maintained that it improved its grievance resolution mechanism, constituted a special grievance redressal committee for international students, and implemented a multi-tiered mental health support system, including partnerships with the Ministry of Education's 'Manodarpan' initiative and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's 'Tele-MANAS' programme. The university has also claimed to have introduced 'strict forensic handling protocols' and mandated 'immediate forensic intervention and evidence preservation'. Furthermore, it has created specialised kitchen zones for international students to get culturally inclusive food. However, the university has failed to satisfy the committee, which noted in its report, 'The reforms appear largely theoretical, lacking timely and practical implementation.' The UGC has ordered an academic audit, calling the 30,000-student population 'excessive' compared to the existing infrastructure. It has called for a formal orientation for international students, the installation of lifts in the multi-story hostels, larger rooms for students, and culturally sensitive housing arrangements. The fact-finding team has also recommended replacing the ceiling fans on the campus with wall-mounted fans, emphasising the need for transparency in handling crises such as suicides. This report has been updated with the KIIT spokesperson's response. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Sexual harassment, suicide & gangrape—Odisha's 1st BJP CM battles fallout from rising crime, 'inaction'
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
KIIT's unlawful acts led to suicides: UGC panel
NEW DELHI: The fact-finding committee constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) has held KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, responsible for the suicide of two students earlier this year, stating that "illegal and unlawful activity by the university" led to one of the deaths and that the administration's actions "amount to criminal liability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " Along with these findings, the committee has issued a set of strong recommendations, based on which the commission is contemplating a freeze on the university's expansion and departmental action against erring officials, among others. The UGC committee, chaired by Professor Nageshwar Rao, submitted its report on May 20, 2025, after campus visits, stakeholder interactions, and detailed analysis. The report cited the university's failure to act lawfully on sexual harassment complaints, inadequate hostel facilities, excessive student intake, and use of brute force on students as key failings contributing to the incidents. The committee's observations and findings include serious lapses in infrastructure and governance. It found that hostel facilities were "substandard" with "three students put in a small room" and female international students accommodated without cultural considerations. It also noted that complaints of sexual harassment were ignored or illegally compromised, that the administration forcibly removed Nepalese students without support, and that security personnel used physical aggression against students. The university, it said, prioritised its "reputation of university over regulations, law of land and international relations of the country." Observing that members of the internal complaints committee (ICC) and senior administrative personnel of the university "are liable for criminal punishment as per law", the report stated, "... university's internal complaints committee (ICC) failed to take lawful action in reported sexual harassment cases. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now There was no transparency that protocols for investigation were followed. The girl had made complaints to the administration twice much before this tragic incident. In both the complaints, they decided to go for illegal compromise... The university has the power to punish the boy even when the first complaint was lodged. Instead of punishment, they favoured the boy by pushing forced illegal compromise with the girl. Later on, this has led to suicide. This suicide case could have been averted." On Feb 16, Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year BTech student from Nepal, was found dead in her hostel room. The report also called for departmental action against ICC members who acted in violation of rules. "Had KIIT University taken action to decide the reported harassment case as per law in the first case, the tragedy could have been avoided," the report stated. On May 2, another Nepalese undergraduate student was found dead in her hostel room at KIIT.
Times of Oman
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Nepal Parliament orders Government to advance high-level diplomatic dialogue with India to probe KIIT student death
Kathmandu: Nepal's lower house of Parliament on Monday has asked the country's Government to advance high-level diplomatic dialogue with India to probe the death of a Nepalese student at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha. A day ago, the National Assembly, Nepal's Upper House of Parliament had passed a similar directive for the government. Speaker of the lower House of Representatives or the Pratinidhi Sabha, Devraj Ghimire, on Monday issued a ruling to the government to advance high-level diplomatic dialogue with India. "The serious attention of the House has been drawn to the issue raised by the honourable members at an urgent time regarding the death of Prisa Sah, a Nepali student studying at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India. The incident of mysterious deaths one after another of students who had gone abroad to study with dreams of a bright future is also a serious issue related to the sensitivity and responsibility of the nation. I direct the government to take deep interest in this incident and to initiate diplomatic dialogue at the highest level with the Indian government to find out the truth and provide necessary legal assistance to the family," Ghimre said. The first-year BTech, Computer Science student who was said to be planning to return back home for vacation in mid of this month, was found dead inside her hostel room on May 1. This is the second incident of the death of a Nepali female student at the same university reported within a span of three months. Earlier this year, a Nepali student from the same university was found dead in the hostel on February 16, triggering protests from Nepali students. The protesting students had alleged that a fellow student had harassed her and that the college had failed to act despite multiple complaints. Later, the accused student was arrested on February 17. "Before it was the death of Prakriti Lamsal. Before we recover from the pain of losing her another female Nepali student's untimely death has left us deranged. Female student enrolled in B. Tech First year at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India, Prisa Sah had to give up her life. My tribute to her and condolences to the family. She held telephonic conversation with her father at around 3 PM the same day but she took her life in the evening. An estimated 1200 Nepali students are enrolled in that varsity, these kinds of incidents are just coincidence or there is some other reason behind? I would demand for serious investigation onto the topics," Devendra Paudel, also the former Education Minister said. Amresh Kumar Singh, an independent lawmaker in Nepali parliament also demanded action by the Nepal's Government and Foreign Ministry over the issue. "This incident is not a coincidence. About three months back, another female student from Butwal- Prakriti Lamsal also had similar incident. Our government at that time showed readiness but now it has remained silent now just because the student is from Madhesh. I want to ask the Government and Foreign Ministry.. do they have a duty to safeguard and raise concern for its citizens abroad? Be it any place across the globe, I demand a judicial investigation into the case. Why do our Cheli-Beti always face ordeals in the same university and eventually end their lives?" Singh said. Following the death of a Nepali female student at Odisha's Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on May 2 had expressed its deepest condolences and stated that the Odisha government has extended support for the family, and a thorough investigation is being conducted by the state police. The MEA in a statement said, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic demise of a Nepali student of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time." "Ministry of External Affairs has been in constant touch with the Odisha State Government since we became aware of the tragic incident. The State Government of Odisha has extended full support to the family of the deceased, and a thorough enquiry is currently being conducted by the Odisha Police," it said. The MEA further said that the safety, security and well-being of all international students is a priority for the Indian government. "Government of India takes the safety, security and well-being of all international students very seriously. We remain in close contact with the Nepali authorities, the Odisha State Government as well as KIIT management to ensure real-time communication and coordination in this matter," the statement read.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
UGC sets up fact-finding committee to look into KIIT-Bhubaneswar student suicides
The University Grants Commission ( UGC ) has set up a fact-finding committee to look into consecutive student suicides at KIIT-Bhubaneshwar, officials said on Friday. The panel was constituted after a 20-year-old Nepalese student of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology ( KIIT ) in Odisha's Bhubaneswar was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Pakistan reopens Attari-Wagah border to allow stranded citizens in India to return Key Jammu & Kashmir reservoirs' flushing to begin soon Air India sees Pakistan airspace ban costing it $600 mn over 12 months The incident comes after the suicide of Prakriti Lamsal , another Nepalese student of the same institute on February 16. "UGC has constituted a Fact-Finding Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. Nageshwar Rao , Former VC, IGNOU to look into the students' suicide cases at KIIT, Bhubaneswar and suggest measures to prevent such incidents in future," said UGC Secretary Manish Joshi . Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now The panel has been asked to submit the fact-finding report within 10 days.
The Print
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Another Nepalese girl found dead at Odisha's KIIT, 2nd in 3 months. MEA in touch with Nepal embassy
'We can't understand what happened. She deleted all her social media before she took her own life… she seemed alright before it,' a third-year Nepalese student told ThePrint over the phone. The computer science student's case comes in less than three months after another Nepalese girl, Prakriti Lamsal, ended life in her hostel room, a case that has sparked widespread protests and required the intervention of the topmost level of the Indian government New Delhi: Screams of students pierced the hall Thursday evening when the camera scanned inside the hotel room of a first-year student at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). Prisha Sah, the student from Nepal, was found hanging in her room at KIIT's Queens Castle-4 hostel. Prisha was a resident of ward 8 of Kabilasi Municipality in Nepal's Sarlahi district, The Kathmandu Post reported, adding that her parents and brother left for Odisha on Friday for carrying out formalities to take the body back home. In a statement the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement in which it extended condolences to the family of Prisha. 'The MEA has been in constant touch with the Odisha State Government since we became aware of the tragic incident. The State Government of Odisha has extended full support to the family of the deceased, and a thorough enquiry is currently being conducted by the Odisha Police,' it said, adding that the government takes the safety, security and well-being of all international students very seriously. 'We remain in close contact with the Nepali authorities, the Odisha State Government as well as KIIT management to ensure real-time communication and coordination in this matter,' it said. The Nepal Embassy put out a post on 'X' saying its officials were closely coordinating with the MEA, the Odisha government, police and the KIIT university for a thorough investigation. Fear and uncertainty have gripped the students from Nepal as the memories of the crackdown by the private university in February are still fresh in their minds. Hundreds of Nepalese students were evicted from their hostels after they protested the death of Prakriti. This act had caused a diplomatic row between India and Nepal, and the university had made several efforts to get their Nepalese students back on campus. Though in mental distress after yet another suicide, the Nepalese students don't plan a protest against the university for now. 'Last night things happened procedurally. Police came, forensic investigation was done, and the body was moved to the KIMS hospital. Earlier suicides were not reported like this by the university. Now that things are happening properly, we don't plan to protest,' the above-mentioned student told ThePrint. Also Read: KIIT student who 'died by suicide' had raised harassment complaint twice. But PoSH panel was not in the loop 'A quiet girl' When the daily 7 p.m. attendance was being taken at the Queens Castle-4 hostel, Prisha was missing. When nobody could reach her, the warden decided to check her room, her classmates said. 'Prisha's roommates aren't here because exams of second- and third-year students have concluded and they're on leave. So, we broke open the door and found her hanging from the fan,' a first-year Nepalese student said. 'She was a quiet, shy girl and didn't have many friends. But she looked fine, and we never noticed any signs of distress.' The student said they were obviously disturbed by the turn of events involving their batchmate, but didn't wish to speak anymore on the topic. The Nepalese students ThePrint spoke to said that the behaviour of teachers and college authorities has improved significantly since the controversy surrounding Prakriti's suicide. The local police told ThePrint that an investigation was currently underway. 'The student's body was found hanging from a ceiling fan. She was taken to KIIMS hospital for treatment where she was declared dead,' a senior police officer told ThePrint. A forensic team had reached the spot, the officer said, adding that a forensic analysis of the student's devices would be done. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanungoo took note of the KIIT suicide on 'X'. 'In a similar incident last month, the NHRC investigated and issued its recommendations, pointing to procedural lapses in ensuring the safety of students. However, the University approached the Hon'ble Odisha High Court and the Court stayed the recommendations of the Commission. We are taking cognizance of the recent incident,' he posted. Back at KIIT's Queens Castle 4 hostel, the Nepalese students concede that the past three months have been quite tense as they have lost two batchmates. 'Shaam ko 7 baje suicide hua hai. kar rahi thi (The suicide happened at & 7 in the evening. She was pursuing We don't understand…in the first-year, there's no pressure; you're new,' one of the students said. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: A concert, a death, an ambush at dawn. How KIIT horror unfolded
