A research scholar was shattered when his PhD admission at IIT Madras was cancelled last year, as he couldn’t take the mandatory comprehensive exam due to family issues and differences with his research guide. A first-generation learner from an agricultural family, his family’s hopes were pinned on him.Even as the future seemed bleak, he received help from a professor who suggested he present his case to the administration, while also enrolling him for counselling. In a little more than a month, his PhD admission was restored, and he was assigned a different guide. Still in counselling at the institute’s Wellness Centre, the youth keeps at it, confident that he would clear the exam.
Things have changed at IIT Madras since 2023, when four suicides were reported at the institute in two months. The management has created an effective, time-bound system that prioritises the psychological wellbeing of the students.Professional counsellors are available on campus 24X7, while parents and faculty members have also been invited to pitch in. An annual survey has been constituted to map the mental health of all freshers joining the institute. As a result, there have been no suicides at IIT Madras since April 2023.How did they do it? The institute made wellness a collective responsibility of students, faculty members, parents and administration, says director V Kamakoti.
Each faculty member is assigned 10 students. He or she is mandated to take them to dinner or lunch every month. After the meeting, the faculty is required to report on whether any of his students require mental health support.“This has helped us identify vulnerable students early. We have also created a network of listeners—fellow students, alumni and faculty members—whom the students can call to chat if they’re feeling lonely,” Kamakoti said.Increasing the number of professional counsellors available on campus from three to 17 has been another crucial step. “To remove stigma, we had our counsellors conduct sessions at places besides the wellness centre—libraries, departments and hostels. Students can also seek help anonymously online,” said dean of students Prof Sathyanarayana N Gummadi.
In another significant move, the institute has brought flexibility to its academic programmes. Mandatory classroom hours have been reduced from 434 to 400 hours. First-year students were awarded four weeks’ extra vacation time. They also had to select a mandatory recreation course— dance, music or painting. Students also have an early exit option, wherein they can leave the institute to pursue alternate career paths.The management reviews PhDs that are not completed in five years. “Scholars can raise issues with the director. Genuine issues are resolved immediately: this has increased the number of PhDs awarded at IIT-M to more than 500 in the past two years,” Kamakoti said.In severe cases, parents are allowed to stay with their wards in the hostel rooms. Students can also go back home and attend classes online if necessary.Mental wellness training has been made mandatory for hostel wardens, managers, and other nonteaching staff as well.“Once a vulnerable student is identified, the response time is now within minutes. We have also been careful to avoid knee-jerk reactions that could affect them adversely,” said Prof Sarith P Sathian, adviser, Wellness.Heightened awareness among faculty members and students has altered the entire ecosystem and it has helped, he added.
