IIT Roorkee student death: 70 exams postponed, to be held on November 22

Following the death of a 20-year-old student, allegedly by suicide, at IIT Roorkee, the institute has postponed 70 examinations to November 22, officials said on Saturday (November 14, 2026). The exams were originally scheduled to be held on Friday (November 13, 2026).

The deceased, Ayush Rajauria, was a second-year student of the institute’s BS-MS programme in Mathematics and Computing and hailed from Raj Nagar Extension in Ghaziabad. According to police, the incident came to light around midnight on Thursday after Kuldeep Singh Negi, a security officer at IIT Roorkee, informed the Kotwali Roorkee police that a student was found dead in room number BS 10 on the second floor of Govind Bhawan hostel.

A purported note left by the deceased was found in his room, in which he allegedly wrote about suffering from depression and being distressed about his life, according to officials. Officials said Rajauria had been receiving counselling on campus for the past year to cope with mental stress.

Speaking to PTI, Sonika Srivastava, in-charge of the IIT Roorkee's media cell, said the student was being counselled at the campus wellness centre — a facility dedicated to supporting students who may be experiencing depression or other psychological challenges.

She also said that all the students and their families have been informed about the postponement of the exams and the revised scheduled date, November 22. Police said on Friday (November 13, 2026) that the student's family had been informed and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death was underway.

In a statement, IIT Roorkee has expressed grief over the student's death and extended condolences to his family. The death has sent shockwaves through students and parents, bringing the focus back on the mental health of IIT students across the country and the rising number of student suicides on campuses of the prestigious institutes.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050 and Speak2Us helpline at 9375493754.)