The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), renowned engineering institutions in India, are often regarded as symbols of academic excellence and a promising future. However, recent years have seen a sharp increase in student suicides, raising concerns about the country’s education system. According to an international media report, at least 160 students have taken their own lives at IITs over the past 20 years, with 69 reported deaths in the last five years alone.
The report shares a heart-wrenching story of a desperate father, Sanjay Nirker, who waits every evening for a phone call from his son, Varad Nirker, who never came back. The incident occurred on November 16th, when a student’s body was found at her home in Nasik, Maharashtra. The student’s notebook contained a handwritten message, revealing that Varad had been struggling with severe academic pressure and a supervisor’s behavior. Varad had joined IIT Delhi in 2022 to pursue an M.Tech program, a lifelong dream, but took his own life in February 2024.
The report highlights that securing admission to IITs is considered a remarkable achievement in India, with over 13 lakh students appearing for the JEE Main exam in 2025, out of which only 18,000 seats were available for B.Tech programs. Every year, around 10 lakh students appear for M.Tech entrance exams, with alumni of these institutions including prominent figures like Sundar Pichai and Arvind Krishna.
The story of Arnaw Khare, a student from Thane’s Kalyan East area, is another tragic example. He used to travel to his college in Milnath every day by train. According to an international report, Ahmadabad student Darshan Solanki joined IIT Mumbai in 2023 but took his own life a few months later. His father, Ramesh Solanki, claimed that his son faced caste-based humiliation, as the Solanki family belongs to the Dalit community, considered a socially backward class in India.
The report cites official government data, stating that a significant number of students who took their own lives at IITs come from disadvantaged backgrounds. A national task force, led by former Supreme Court Justice S. Ravinder Bhat, has termed the situation “extremely alarming.” On the other hand, the father of a student who took his own life emphasized that merely appointing counselors is not enough; institutions must identify students at risk of suicide.
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