8 hrs ago
IITs Report 53 Student Deaths, Including 45 Suicides
Official data says that 53 students died across India’s IITs over five academic years.
The period ran from 2020-21 through 2024-25.
Forty-five deaths were recorded as suicides, while eight were listed separately as unnatural deaths.
Among the suicides, 28 students were from SC, ST or OBC communities.
When all reported deaths are counted, 29 students from those groups died.
The number of deaths increased sharply during the last two years.
There were 19 total deaths and 13 suicides in 2024-25.
Some academics linked the rise to academic pressure, isolation, limited contact with teachers and inclusion problems.
However, the official compilation does not provide enough detail to prove why the deaths occurred.
At least 53 students died across 23 Indian Institutes of Technology between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
The reported deaths included 45 suicides and eight separate unnatural deaths.
SC, ST and OBC students accounted for 28 of the suicides and 29 of all reported deaths.
Deaths rose from five in 2020-21 to 19 in 2024-25, including 13 suicides.
IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur recorded the highest suicide totals.
- Who
- Students at 23 Indian Institutes of Technology, including students from SC, ST, OBC, General and EWS categories.
- What
- Fifty-three student deaths were reported, including 45 suicides and eight separately recorded unnatural deaths.
- Where
- Across Indian Institutes of Technology in India, with the highest suicide totals reported at IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur.
- When
- During the 2020-21 through 2024-25 academic years; the data was compiled for a provisionally admitted Lok Sabha starred question dated December 8, 2025.
- Why
- Academics and faculty members cited academic pressure, social isolation, limited faculty-student engagement and inclusion-related structural issues, while the official compilation cautions that it cannot establish the causes.
Academic Explanations
Data-Based Caution
Possible reasons for the rise
Academic Explanations
Academics and faculty members attributed the increase to academic pressure, social isolation, limited faculty-student engagement and structural inclusion issues.
Data-Based Caution
The official compilation does not include course-level information or details about the circumstances, so the raw numbers cannot establish the reasons for the deaths.
Representation in the figures
Academic Explanations
SC, ST and OBC students represented 28 of the 45 suicides and 29 of the 53 total reported deaths.
Data-Based Caution
The two reported figures measure different groups of deaths: 28 refers only to suicides, while 29 includes all reported deaths, including the separately recorded unnatural deaths.
Key facts
- Total reported deaths
- 53 students
- Recorded suicides
- 45
- Separately recorded unnatural deaths
- Eight
- SC, ST and OBC suicides
- 28, including 12 OBC, nine SC and seven ST students
- SC, ST and OBC deaths overall
- 29, or 54.7% of all reported deaths
- Deaths in 2024-25
- 19 total deaths, including 13 suicides
- Highest suicide total
- IIT Hyderabad, with seven suicides
- Data source
- Information submitted by IITs for a provisionally admitted Lok Sabha starred question
Sources
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