Education Ministry Sends IIIT Ranchi Director on 30-Day Leave After Student Death Protests

The Ministry of Education sent IIIT Ranchi Director Rajiv Srivastava on 30-day leave with immediate effect on Wednesday after prolonged student protests over the death of a first-year student. The move followed the ministry's formation of a three-member panel on Tuesday to examine the circumstances. Prof. V.M.S.R. Murthy, Director of IIEST Shibpur, has been given additional charge as officiating director for one month or until further orders.

First-year student Aditya Kumar was found hanging in his hostel room on Saturday night. Students alleged delays in medical response, a non-functional lift, and an ambulance lacking oxygen support. Nearly 1,000 students protested, demanding the director's resignation and better emergency facilities. A student said the strike was temporarily halted after the administrative action. The institute also cancelled a recent recruitment process for non-teaching posts that had drawn controversy.

The three-member panel is chaired by Prof. Rajni Abbi, Director of Delhi University South Campus, and includes a senior psychiatrist and a senior ministry official. It has 15 days to report. The mandate covers the circumstances of the death, availability of basic facilities, counselling and mentoring arrangements, and grievance redressal. Registrar in charge Munuren Samson Champia confirmed the leave and the temporary appointment.

Police said no suicide note was found and no complaint requiring immediate action had been received. Parents were informed. Institute officials said the administration had been aware of a power outage the previous night. Students claimed the director arrived many hours after the incident and that caretakers initially refused to touch the student. Lieutenant General A.K. Bhatt, chairman of the institute, met protesters earlier and said any person found guilty would face action, while noting that the director's appointment requires presidential approval.

For the campus the leave and the panel create an interim structure while the inquiry proceeds. Students have signalled they will watch the panel's findings and any changes to medical and counselling arrangements. The cancellation of the recruitment process addresses one of the secondary grievances that surfaced during the protests. The temporary director will oversee operations during the 30-day period.

The episode adds to a series of cases in which student deaths on campus have prompted demands for faster emergency response and stronger mental-health support. The ministry's decision to place the director on leave while the panel works is an administrative step short of removal. Outcomes will depend on the panel's assessment of systemic gaps and any recommendations that follow. Other IIITs and technical institutes will note the speed of the response and the composition of the inquiry.