Kurukshetra (Haryana),24 April 2026 : The National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, has come under sharp scrutiny after four students died by suicide in the last two months, while another student attempted suicide on campus on April 18. In response to the crisis, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance and sought detailed reports from the NIT director, the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police. The commission has asked for the reports to be submitted at least a week before its next hearing on May 19.
According to the commission’s note, the deaths began on February 16, when a first-semester computer science student from Telangana died by suicide. A student from Nuh, Haryana, died on March 31, followed by a third-year civil engineering student on April 8. The latest case was reported on April 16, when a second-year AI and data science student from Bihar was found dead in her hostel room. The April 18 attempt inside a hostel room further deepened concern and triggered student unrest on campus.
In the wake of the incidents, NIT ordered all undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students to vacate hostels by April 19 and declared holidays until further notice. The administration said the move was meant to help students return home, spend time with their families and resume studies with a fresher mind. It also said theory examinations would be held as per the existing date sheet, while practical examinations would be conducted online and the revised schedule would be placed on the institute website.
NIT’s senior-most professor, Brahmjit Singh, who is officiating in the director’s absence, said the institution has taken the student distress seriously and is trying to address the problem on multiple levels. He said every student has been linked with a faculty member who will speak to them regularly, understand their concerns and help resolve them. Singh also said the institute has formed three layers of support: wardens visiting hostels daily, a mentor system in which one faculty member is assigned to around 20 to 25 students, and another arrangement under which two faculty members are attached to each hostel. Heads of departments have also been instructed to respond to student issues.
Singh rejected allegations that any professor had threatened students. He said the institute remained open to dialogue and that he himself had been visiting hostels over the past 15 to 20 days and speaking to students. He added that, in his view, excessive dependence on social media is increasing loneliness and reducing interaction with parents, friends and teachers. The institute is also trying to strengthen direct communication with parents. He said a five-member committee has been formed to examine each incident, while the question of a CBI or outside agency probe was not seen as necessary by the administration.
Meanwhile, two central teams from the Union education ministry visited NIT Kurukshetra. One team, headed by Professor Anil Sahasrabudhe, met the institute’s committee and students as part of its inquiry. A separate central team also held a review meeting on the institution’s administrative issues. Alongside this, the HHRC has asked NIT to explain the circumstances of the deaths and attempt, the mental health counselling system on campus, the mechanism for identifying students under stress or financial distress, the implementation of the mentor-mentee programme, hostel safety measures, preventive steps taken so far, and the reasons behind the hostel closure and faculty transfers. The district administration and police have also been asked to report on action taken and the status of investigations.
( Ashok Yadav is a Senior Journalist based in kurukshetra)
