IIIT-Basar student dies by suicide after writing physics exam

ADILABAD: A PUC (pre-university course) first-year student of IIIT Basar died by suicide in a college washroom on Tuesday afternoon following a physics exam held in the morning, the police said. Security staff broke open the bathroom to retrieve the body.

The student, a woman from Gorrekal in Vatpalli mandal of Sangareddy, was under pressure due to the exams that were ongoing since June 7, her classmates said.

The student’s parents were informed and they were on their way to Nirmal.

While some students on the campus claimed as a reason authorities forcefully vacating students from their rooms a few days ago, dumping their luggage and books in other rooms, a few others said that the examiner at the physics exam warned to debar a group of students who were allegedly sharing information while taking the exam.

The police said that the suicide took place in suspicious circumstances, as the reason for the act was not evident.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Venkataramana was reported to have dismissed claims of debarring threat. He reportedly said some students were found discussing during the examination but they never debar them for such things and instead give them counselling against sharing information or copying.      

The student’s friends said that immediately after the exam, she went to the washroom but failed to come out even after half hour.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Venkataramana, directors and teaching and other staff of IIIT-Basar expressed their deep condolence over the student’s death.

Following the incident, the Vice Chancellor ordered an internal inquiry by constituting a four-member committee, comprising the controller of examinations, associate dean of sciences, chief warden and associate dean of student welfare.

The Vice Chancellor also constituted a committee of deans for a report on conducting examinations.

Two students died by suicide on the IIIT-Basar campus last year, including first-year student Suresh Rathod’s death on August 23, 2022, and PUC-II student Podisheti Bhanu Prasad’s death on December 18, 2022.