Academic stress is among the reasons cited for the frequent suicides being reported from the National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C). Though the institute has a permanent system to address the concerns of students, many are not making use of it, claim some of the faculty members.
The recent incident of suicide was reported on May 6 when Yogiswarnath Mothukuru, a third-year-student of BTech (Mechanical Engineering), was found dead near the ‘C’ block. Though he was taken to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, Yogiswarnath could not be saved. The 19-year-old is reported to have leapt to his death from the seventh floor of the mega hostel building. Most of the students in the hostel building had returned home and Yogiswarnath too was planning to do so. Their semester exams had concluded recently.
The hostel authorities were alarmed when one of his relatives informed them about a message in which he had expressed his wish to end his life. His body was found when they searched the premises. He is the son of Venkatram Narsaiah, an employee of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, and Malathi.
Meanwhile, some of the faculty members were shocked to hear about the incident. They claimed that they had no inkling about it as Yogiswarnath never exhibited any symptoms of depression or mental stress during the course of his study. However, he is reported to have skipped a couple of the exams. Both faculty members and students say the system at the NIT-C allows those who fail in exams to appear again to clear the subjects.
This is the fourth incident of suicide being reported from the NIT-C in less than two years. Similar incidents were reported on on June 1, and December 7, 2022, and February 15, 2023. Another student, who had discontinued the course and joined another private university in Punjab, too had committed suicide in September 2022 after leaving behind a note blaming the NIT-C Director.
The faculty members say that it is difficult to detect suicidal tendencies or depression among students in institutions such as the NIT-C, which has over 7,000 students on its rolls. Either the students should come forward on their own or their peers should alert the students’ guidance cell or their academic advisors in respective departments. There are two permanent counsellors on the campus.
Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies may seek help and counselling support by contacting Thanal, a centre for befriending persons instituted by the Indian Medical Association, Kozhikode. Phone: 04952-760000.
