Panel to probe deaths of five BITS Pilani students

NT Reporter

Margao

Taking a serious note of the deaths of five students  of BITS Pilani Goa in Sancoale within a  span of ten months, South Goa district collector Egna Cleetus said on Friday that the district-level monitoring committee will  engage with the parents and close friends of the deceased students before addressing the “specific issues” raised by the committee.

The decision was made during a  crucial  internal fact-finding meeting convened at the Secretariat in Panaji following the tragic death of Rishi Nair, a second year student of BITS Pilani Goa,    who was found dead  in his hostel room.

The panel  will  conduct virtual interactions with the parents of the deceased students next week to gain insight into their perspectives and to explore potential reasons for these incidents.

“We will also  seek to understand more about the deceased’s anxiety, parental pressures, and other pertinent issues. Close friends of the deceased students will also be contacted to ascertain the prevailing environment within the institution’s campus,” Cleetus said.

Cleetus is the chairperson of the district-level monitoring committee formed to monitor student well-being and coordinate with schools, colleges,  the university and private caching institutes on mental health matters.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Education  portfolio, had convened the meeting.

“Several specific issues were underscored during today’s meeting with stakeholders. Based on this information, we will be gathering further details from the BITS Pilani institution.

“We will also ascertain whether the institution has adhered to the Supreme Court guidelines and the recommended measures pertaining to the operation of educational institutions,” Cleetus said after the meeting.

She elaborated that the 13-member committee has been instructed to look into the factors contributing to the deaths of five students all occurring within a  span of ten months.

“Committee members have been provided with a checklist to complete, and based on that, we will engage in further discussions during the next follow-up meeting scheduled for the forthcoming week,” the collector  said.

Although the district collector did not elaborate  much on the internal findings, reliable sources indicated that members of the district-level monitoring committee identified several areas of concern within the campus through their investigative efforts.

It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court issued guidelines on student mental health and suicide prevention in the case of Sukdeb Saha versus the State of Andhra Pradesh on July 25, 2025, rendering them binding until appropriate legislation is enacted.

Among these guidelines are mandates for educational institutions to adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy based on the UMMEED draft guidelines, Manodarpan, and the national suicide prevention strategy.

Institutions with over 100 students must appoint at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker specialising in child and adolescent mental health, while smaller institutions should establish referral connections with external professionals. Optimal student-to-counsellor ratios must be maintained.