New Delhi, 02-11-2022, Diploma for IIT Students: The Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) has introduced new courses in the form of a Diploma and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) to help students cope with stress. The reason behind this is the fact that the suicide rate among IIT students has been rising.
The IIT has said the provision of B.Sc. (Engineering) and the proposal for a Diploma (Engineering) may be able to address the issue of academic stress to a great extent.
A former IIT teacher told the media: “Parental expectations often add to the pressure, and the teachers’ workload often prevents them from paying attention to the students and their problems individually.”
Note: IIT’s are planning out an exit option with a diploma after two years for B.Tech students, who are unable to handle academic pressure.
Diploma for IIT Students – Plans of an Exit Option
- IIT officials said that some of the country’s tech schools had suggested that the IIT Council, the top decision-making body, to discuss the proposal.
- IIT has clarified that the council might meet early next year.
- In 2019, the council had decided to allow an exit option after three years for educationally backward students.
- Instead of being forced out of the four-year B.Tech course, they were to be allowed to opt for a B.Sc (Engineering) degree after the second semester, and graduate after six semesters if they met the required standards.
Diploma for IIT Students – Implementation
- In 2019, the implementation of the decision was left to the IITs, which have introduced the option from the current year.
- Now, some of the IITs also want a diploma option at the end of the fourth semester, officials have stated.
Diploma for IIT Students – Shocking Suicide Cases
- A third-year B.Tech student’s body was found hanging in his hostel room at IIT Kharagpur in October.
- The death came as a shock to the student’s parents and they lodged a police case.
- Last week, the education ministry sought a detailed report from IIT Kharagpur.
- In September, a final-year B.Tech student at IIT Guwahati, a fourth-year student at IIT Madras and a PhD student at IIT Kanpur were found dead.
- In January, a postgraduate student at IIT Bombay jumped to his death from the hostel terrace. An MTech student from IIT Hyderabad hanged himself on August 31, 2022. It was said that he was weighed down by his academic backlog.
Note: All the deaths were reportedly caused due to academic pressure.
Diploma for IIT Students – Officials’ Opinion
- Officials say the reason for stress is that there are alot of classes students have to attend.
- They have to take part in a lot of assignments, quizzes and also have to appear in many tests.
- An IIT Kanpur faculty member said that academic stress and failed love affairs were the two biggest reasons that drove students to suicide.
- Officials say there are counsellors to help them, but many students do not share their problems.
- Some take to online games and some end up taking drugs. These habits add to the strain. The suicides relate to these types of students.
Diploma for IIT Students – FAQs
Q. Why do IIT students commit suicide?
A. More than ten lakh students compete for eleven thousand odd seats. Each student who enters an IIT has aced every test in high school. Supportive parents, constant guidance from a coaching center, combined with remarkable diligence lands the student in the institute. But, the expectations in IIT’s are overwhelming, so students succumb to pressure.
Q. Will the newly launched courses be helpful to students?
A. Yes, the newly launched courses in the form of diploma for IIT students are expected to prove helpful; as they may come with an exit option as well in future. The courses will help identify students’ weaknesses and help them decide if they want to remain in the mainstream or leave. It will help them deal with stress and high expectations.
Q. What should a student suffering from stress and depression do?
A. The student can take the help of counselling from a psychiatrist or psychologist. Visiting a therapist can help a depressed student. Someone who is suffering closes him/herself to all interaction out of fear of being judged. Students must not overthink the problem, as all are dealing with the same stresses.
