IIT Delhi students pause protest, cite progress on their demands

Students at IIT Delhi, who have been protesting for a week over the alleged suicide of 31-year-old MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar on August 22, announced a pause in their on-ground mobilisation on Sunday, citing progress on their key demands, including the constitution of an external inquiry committee to probe the circumstances leading to his death.

The decision to pause the protest comes amid Kumar's mother, Asha Poddar, declining any financial compensation, which had been one of the primary demands of the protesters. Instead, she has asked the institute to look into creating residential facilities for students navigating mental-health issues.

This follows concerns raised by the family over Kumar's access to hostel accommodation, including allegations that he was told there was no provision for "such children" to stay there. Compensation had been a major point of contention during the protests, with students demanding that Rs 1 crore be provided to Poddar.

The administration had proposed a formula comprising Rs 6 lakh from its Benevolent Fund, reimbursement of medical expenses, and additional funds to be raised through voluntary contributions from the institute's alumni and employee network.

Poddar, however, declined monetary compensation and instead asked the administration to consider assigning living quarters, or a section of living quarters, for students navigating mental-health issues, so that no student in need would be removed from campus.

IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee said he would look into Poddar’s proposal, sources said. He also said the institute would explore how Kumar's memory could be commemorated on campus, according to the students' statement.

The proposal assumes significance as hostel accommodation at IIT Delhi is available to less than 50 per cent of the student population, with preference given to undergraduate students. While the institute has provided ground-floor room allotments and accessibility support for students with benchmark physical disabilities, it lacks dedicated residential facilities for students requiring sustained mental-health or psychiatric support.

In her complaint to the police on August 22, Poddar said the IIT Delhi administration did not allot her son a hostel room and that he was humiliated by the institute's Dean. She said Kumar was told there was no provision for "such children" to stay in the hostel, and that the incident left him deeply distressed.

She urged the police to investigate whether these circumstances were linked to his death. The students said they would leave the matter of compensation between Kumar's family and the IIT Delhi administration, and would support whatever decision the family reached.

Earlier this week, Banerjee had also warned protesting students of disciplinary action, saying the situation had "escalated significantly" on the night of August 27. In his August 28 communication to students, Banerjee alleged that between 10.30 pm and 12.30 am, protesters had extended their agitation into campus residential zones and used "unsavoury, humiliating and threatening language" in slogans outside faculty housing.

The students, however, rejected this account. In their statement on Sunday, they said the demonstrations were confined to main transit roads and that they did not enter residential hostel premises. The students added that they had also consciously decided against marching near Kailash and Himadri hostels, citing concerns over the privacy and safety of women students.

Further, they said their slogans were limited to appeals for institutional accountability and community support, citing slogans such as "Professors bahar aao, hamara saath do ” (professors, come out and stand with us)." According to the students, protesters did not attempt to enter residential blocks or hostels.

The students also alleged that they faced “disproportionate surveillance and police presence" during the protests. They claimed that a woman protester was jostled by security personnel after objecting to being filmed, and alleged that Delhi Police personnel entered the campus in civilian clothes without authorisation from the IIT Delhi administration.

On their other demands, meanwhile, students said the administration had agreed to an external inquiry committee, with its chairperson and student members nominated by protesters, and to publicly disclose its mental-health support protocols.

On the demand for resignations of senior officials, the administration said new appointments had already been made following the previous appointees’ tenures, while the inquiry committee would examine their roles in the alleged lapses.

Separately, the students have been compiling details concerning the Associate Dean of Student Welfare for submission to the committee. Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.

Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks.

She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1.

The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure.

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