The National Monitoring Committee for Minorities’ Education on Tuesday collected details about the circumstances that led to the suicide of Jaspreet Singh, third-year student of BA Economics at Malabar Christian College (MCC), Kozhikode.
The main function of the committee is to monitor minority education as well as the schemes of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development for minorities.
Committee member A. Vinod spoke to the family members of Jaspreet and interacted with Godwin Samraj, college Principal, and teachers of the economics department. Jaspreet took the extreme step on March 1 after he was reportedly denied a chance to write the final semester examinations following attendance shortage. He did not have the 75% attendance to appear for the examination.
Though Jaspreet had cited domestic problems for his absence from college and sought a relaxation in the norms, the college authorities were reportedly not willing to budge.
Mr. Vinod told the media later that the ongoing inquiry by the college staff council as well as the police had not considered the sentiments of Jaspreet’s parents, who had sought action against the Principal and others for turning down his repeated request for relaxation in the attendance norms.
There had been lapses on the part of the Principal. Though Calicut University had sought a report from the college after Jaspreet approached it with a request to allow him to write the examination, the student was not informed about it. The committee would look into the family’s allegation that racial remarks were made against Jaspreet and his family, Mr. Vinod said.
“The Principal, however, claims he was not aware of any such remarks. The apathy on the part of the teachers is evident from the fact that none of them had bothered to visit Jaspreet’s house even 10 days after the incident,” he said. Mr. Vinod said that Calicut University should conduct a probe after suspending the Principal and other teachers from their posts.
A report would be submitted to the committee chairman, University Grants Commission, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, State Higher Education Department, and Calicut University, he added.
