Education Ministry Orders Corrective Measures at NIT Kurukshetra After Four Student Suicides

Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan New Delhi: Education ministry ordered corrective measures to improve campus governance and student well-being at NIT Kurukshetra following a high-level review Tuesday, even as senior professor Brahmjit Singh was appointed officiating director as director B V Ramana Reddy's resignation was accepted.

The developments come against the backdrop of four student suicides reported on campus in the past two months, including three in April. The death of a 20-year-old second-year student on April 16 triggered protests, with students alleging negligence and demanding a probe.

Following the unrest, authorities suspended academic activities and asked students to vacate hostels, though select batches have been asked to return from May 9. The review, chaired by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, examined the academic environment, campus life and hostel management, flagging urgent steps to strengthen student engagement, faculty accountability and overall institutional culture.

Immediate measures include hostel upgrades, structured faculty training on mentoring and student well-being, and SOPs to institutionalise student engagement. In a related move, the institute has suspended joint registrar Gyana Ranjan Samantaray after a central team visited the campus. The Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance, seeking reports from the institute and district authorities.

Officials said leadership change follows the Union education ministry's decision to withdraw Reddy's administrative and financial powers.