Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: South Goa Collector Egna Cleetus, IAS, has submitted a report to the state government regarding the suicide of a 20-year-old female student at BITS Pilani’s Goa campus on February 1, marking the sixth student death at the institute within a year.
The student, originally from Bengaluru, reportedly ended her life on campus, reigniting concerns over student welfare and mental health at the prestigious institution.
Collector Cleetus said her report outlines the circumstances of the recent death as well as the measures taken by the institute following previous incidents.
“I have submitted a detailed report to the government covering the student’s death and the steps implemented by the BITS Pilani administration since the fifth student death last year,” she said.
As the head of the District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC), Cleetus noted that the institute has introduced several initiatives in line with the Supreme Court’s guidelines on student mental health. BITS Pilani has reportedly engaged clinical psychologists, therapists, and a psychiatrist to provide stronger mental health support on campus.
“The DLMC is satisfied with the steps taken by the BITS administration in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directives. The Committee will continue to periodically review these measures to ensure the well-being of students,” she added.
Cleetus further mentioned that the Director of BITS Pilani submitted a comprehensive report detailing the actions taken to safeguard students. “The DLMC had asked the institute to implement measures as per Supreme Court guidelines, which the administration has duly complied with,” she said.
The latest tragedy has once again cast a spotlight on the state of student mental health and the effectiveness of institutional safeguards on higher education campuses.
