: Rohith Vemula’s suicide in University of Hyderabad could have brought students from across the country out on the streets to protest, but it did not lead authorities of various educational institutions in the city to implement UGC and High Court recommendations on prevention of suicides on campuses.
Even as Moses Abraham, a research scholar of the same varsity who attempted suicide in front of his guide the previous week, is still recovering from the inflicted pain, most varsities and colleges in Hyderabad remain devoid of counsellors, internal complaints committee and anti-discrimination cells.
Moreover, the apathy doled out was in the face of six youth suicides that took place in Hyderabad and Cyberabad police station limits after Rohith killed himself on January 17 this year.
Among the ignored are those submitted by a committee set up on High Court recommendations, each of the eight universities in the city and their constituent and affiliated colleges of these universities should have grievance redress cells.
Also recommended was the setting up of transparency mechanisms in the allotment of guide and course-related work.
In a related report submitted by University Grants Commission (UGC) to the Union government, varsity officials have to hold quarterly meetings with M Phil and PhD students who are doing course work to prevent academic pressures. In the case of colleges, both affiliated and constituent, UGC had prescribed setting up of rescue cells and distress cell phone lines.
Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor of Nalsar University of Law and chairman of the High Court appointed committee, said lack of follow up and apathy of officials prevented implementation of key recommendations.
Both High Court and UGC had intervened to prevent rising number of student suicides as a total of nine suicides had taken place in just 12 months in the academic year 2012-13 alone.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Mustafa said, “The High Court had asked for immediate implementation of recommendations. There was a need to hold a continued dialogue on the matter. That never took place”.
Meanwhile, a group of 154 students of various universities in the city have petitioned authorities at Ministry of Human Resource Development demanding that it look at recurring suicides in varsities. “If there has to be a change, active mechanisms will have to be implemented. Passivity will only push the students off the edge,” said a senior faculty member of UoH who had signed a petition demanding end of discrimination on campuses.
If there has to be a change, active mechanisms will have to be implemented. Passivity will only push the students off the edge.
Senior faculty of UoH
