Education Ministry Forms Panel To Probe IIIT Ranchi Student’s Death

Last Updated:October 14, 2026, 08:54 IST

The committee will be headed by Rajni Abbi, director of DU South Campus, Education Ministry said. It will also include a senior psychiatrist and a senior officer from the ministry.

Students have been protesting on the IIIT Ranchi campus following the incident. (File Photo)

The Ministry of Education on Tuesday announced the formation of a three-member committee to investigate the death of a first-year student at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Ranchi.

The committee will be headed by Rajni Abbi, director of the University of Delhi’s South Campus, the ministry said. It will also include a senior psychiatrist and a senior officer from the Ministry of Education, reported PTI.

The incident came to light on Saturday night after hostel residents alerted the institute administration that the student’s room was locked from the inside. The student was subsequently found hanging from the ceiling of his room.

“The Ministry of Education has taken cognizance of the unfortunate death of a student at IIIT Ranchi campus. In order to examine the circumstances and related issues in detail, a three-member committee has been constituted,” the ministry said in a statement.

The panel has been tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the incident and reviewing the implementation of institutional guidelines, particularly those concerning basic facilities, student support systems, counselling and mentoring services, and grievance redressal mechanisms, the ministry added.

It will also identify systemic gaps and recommend measures to strengthen student well-being and help prevent similar incidents in the future. The committee will consult stakeholders and examine relevant records and documents as required.

The ministry also said it was making interim administrative arrangements to ensure the smooth functioning of the institute while safeguarding students’ interests and well-being.

Meanwhile, students have been protesting on the IIIT Ranchi campus following the incident. They have alleged that the institute authorities failed to take the student to a hospital in time.

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Who is heading the committee formed by the Ministry of Education to investigate the IIIT Ranchi student’s death?

The three-member investigating committee is headed by Rajni Abbi, who serves as the director of the University of Delhi’s South Campus.

What are the primary responsibilities and tasks assigned to the newly formed inquiry panel?

The panel is tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, reviewing institutional guidelines for basic facilities, counseling, mentoring, and student support systems, and identifying systemic gaps to recommend measures for student well-being.

Why did students stage protests on the IIIT Ranchi campus following the student’s death?

Students protested on campus alleging that the institute authorities failed to take the student to the hospital in a timely manner and lacked proper emergency response accountability.

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