A Crisis of Care
The death of a Nepali student in her hostel room at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha last Sunday has once again brought to light the inability of educational institutions in effectively addressing the grievances of students
- The death of a Nepali student in her hostel room at Kalinga
Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha last Sunday has once again
brought to light the inability of educational institutions in effectively
addressing the grievances of students. Reports that Nepali students protesting
the death of their colleague were roughed up before being asked to vacate the
campus have drawn flak from various quarters. It took the intervention of the
Nepal Embassy and its Prime Minister for the state’s premier institution to
recall its order and its staff to apologise for their remarks on the protesting
students. The state government and its police also initiated a damage control
exercise, including the arrest of five people in connection with the case and
the announcement of a panel to investigate the matter, only after public
outrage spread like wildfire over the way the university staff had handled the
situation. Such apathy from institutions that should have acted swiftly to
control the crisis shouldn’t be overlooked, as it sends a wrong message about
the state as well as the country to the outside world. Now, all eyes will be on
the varsity and the state government on how they navigate the situation and
deliver justice for the victim. The concerned authorities should prioritise the
security and safety of students, especially those from Nepal, and explore all
possible angles, including allegations made by the victim’s father that his
daughter was harassed and blackmailed before she took the extreme step.
- Swift and pragmatic actions are necessary to restore
normalcy in the campus after what has happened in the institution. Today,
universities across the world have students from different regions and
nationalities, thanks to a significant increase in foreign exchange programmes
in education over the years, allowing students to broaden their horizons and
understanding about other societies through exposure to new cultures besides
academic benefits. Reports of students experiencing discrimination, including
racial slurs, have surfaced from various universities and countries. So, it is
pertinent for institutions to be more accommodative and have a robust support
system in place to address any issues that may arise out of differences in
culture, race, nationality and other reasons. Reports that the KIIT had earlier
settled a harassment complaint filed by the victim against a male student by
counselling both and warning the accused also point to this necessity. For a
university that boasts of providing education to “2000 international students
from 65 countries”, as per its website, the manner in which the officials
handled the recent suicide case is disturbing and appalling. It is imperative
that institutions give utmost priority to student well-being.
