IIT Delhi to set up mental-health ombudsperson, mandatory empathy workshops for staff

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has announced a series of measures to improve its student mental health support system, including the appointment of an independent 'Student Grievance Ombudsperson', recruitment of additional clinical psychologists and counsellors, and mandatory empathy and mental health workshops for faculty and administrative staff.

In a statement, the institute has said that it will also introduce formalised re-entry protocols for students returning after extended leaves of absence and conduct a comprehensive review of its mental health support system and wellness policy through an external committee comprising mental health experts and student representatives.

However, several student support and grievance redressal mechanisms were already in place at the institute. The latest measures are aimed at reviewing and strengthening these systems, particularly mental health support, emergency response, referral mechanisms and the handling of student grievances.

IIT Delhi said the proposed reforms have been drawn up following recommendations made by an external inquiry committee constituted after a student's death on campus. The institute has also planned extensive awareness campaigns on mental health issues and laws related to substance use.

The proposed staff sensitisation programme will make empathy, soft skills and mental health workshops mandatory for administrative and hostel staff, as well as faculty members. The measures were outlined in a statement issued by IIT Delhi following discussions at the Student Affairs Council (SAC) meeting on November 3.

The institute said students' inputs were incorporated into a time-bound implementation plan during the meeting. The announcement of reforms followed the death of IIT Delhi student Rishikesh Kumar on August 22. The institute had constituted an external inquiry committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and recommend measures to address gaps in student welfare and mental health support.

The committee was chaired by retired Delhi High Court judge Justice Mukta Gupta and included a senior expert from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), along with two student representatives. It submitted its report to the institute, with a condition that its contents remain confidential.

IIT Delhi clarified that the committee's recommendations primarily focus on systemic reforms in mental health support and related institutional mechanisms. Following the submission, an internal committee was constituted to examine the recommendations and prepare an implementation roadmap.

It included the Deputy Director (Operations), Dean of Student Affairs, Dean of Academics, general secretaries of the Student Affairs Council and Board of Student Welfare, and the Assistant Registrar (Student Affairs). IIT Delhi said it shared the recommendations of the external committee, along with its proposed follow-up actions and implementation roadmap, with students, faculty and staff on October 31.

The plan was subsequently discussed at the November 3 SAC meeting, where student feedback was incorporated. A separate external committee will review the institute's existing Mental Health Support System and Wellness Policy.

It will comprise two senior mental health experts, one welfare professional and two student representatives. The review will assess the institute's existing provisions, emergency-response protocols, referral mechanisms and monitoring arrangements before recommending changes.

The institute has not disclosed a specific timeline for completing the review or implementing all the proposed measures. Through these initiatives, IIT Delhi has outlined a broader approach to student welfare, combining access to professional clinical care with grievance redressal, academic support for students returning after extended leave, and sensitisation of staff who regularly interact with students.