NIT-T plans to introduce psychiatric counselling for students
The National Institute of Technology-Tiruchi (NIT-T) has decided to introduce psychiatric counselling for students to help them overcome difficulties in coping with academics and other issues.
The decision follows suicide by hanging of a student in his hostel room on Sunday. The suicide by Karthikeyan of Salem, a second year student of Electronics and Communication Engineering, who had taken the extreme step in a state of depression caused by poor performance in the third semester examination, has left the students shocked. Karthikeyan had checked in late to his room on Saturday night and his suicide was known only on Sunday afternoon. He had stayed alone for the night as his roommate had gone home. Karthikeyan's other friends had no inkling of his plan as he usually went to bed late on all Saturdays and skipped breakfast the next morning.
His friends had broken open the door since there was no response till Sunday noon only to find him hanging from the ceiling. He was declared brought dead at the hospital. In an enquiry that ensued , it came to light that Karthikeyan had failed in all the six papers of the third semester.
The irony was he had passed in five of the papers in the re-examination, the results of which were published as scheduled a day after his death.The Director-In-Charge Sandeep Sanchetti has advised constitution of a Counselling Committee which also includes student representatives to identify those in need of counselling. “Though only the bright minds can gain entry into the NIT-T, mental depression caused by academic setbacks is not uncommon for many a student. They are unable to digest their lower ranking in the comity of toppers,” explained Dr. Sankaranarayanasamy, Dean, Students' Welfare. Students struggling academically have the option of taking up four papers in a semester whereby the duration of their B.Tech gets extended by one year. But none utilises this provision apparently due to peer pressure.
In the case of Karthikeyan who was admitted under the reservation category, the difficulties erupted in the second year when engineering contents constitute a major portion of study, the doctor said. Moreover, first-time hostel students require guidance to identify their priorities right.
“We are on the lookout for psychiatrists who could visit the Institute's hospital twice or thrice a week,” said Dr. Sankaranarayanasamy.
The decision follows suicide by hanging of a student in his hostel room on Sunday. The suicide by Karthikeyan of Salem, a second year student of Electronics and Communication Engineering, who had taken the extreme step in a state of depression caused by poor performance in the third semester examination, has left the students shocked. Karthikeyan had checked in late to his room on Saturday night and his suicide was known only on Sunday afternoon. He had stayed alone for the night as his roommate had gone home. Karthikeyan's other friends had no inkling of his plan as he usually went to bed late on all Saturdays and skipped breakfast the next morning.
His friends had broken open the door since there was no response till Sunday noon only to find him hanging from the ceiling. He was declared brought dead at the hospital. In an enquiry that ensued , it came to light that Karthikeyan had failed in all the six papers of the third semester.
The irony was he had passed in five of the papers in the re-examination, the results of which were published as scheduled a day after his death.The Director-In-Charge Sandeep Sanchetti has advised constitution of a Counselling Committee which also includes student representatives to identify those in need of counselling. “Though only the bright minds can gain entry into the NIT-T, mental depression caused by academic setbacks is not uncommon for many a student. They are unable to digest their lower ranking in the comity of toppers,” explained Dr. Sankaranarayanasamy, Dean, Students' Welfare. Students struggling academically have the option of taking up four papers in a semester whereby the duration of their B.Tech gets extended by one year. But none utilises this provision apparently due to peer pressure.
In the case of Karthikeyan who was admitted under the reservation category, the difficulties erupted in the second year when engineering contents constitute a major portion of study, the doctor said. Moreover, first-time hostel students require guidance to identify their priorities right.
“We are on the lookout for psychiatrists who could visit the Institute's hospital twice or thrice a week,” said Dr. Sankaranarayanasamy.
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