45 Students Died by Suicide Across 23 IIT Campuses in Five Years, Hyderabad Records Highest Toll Official parliamentary data spanning 2020-21 to 2024-25 reveals 45 student suicides across 23 IITs, with over 62 percent belonging to SC, ST, and OBC communities. The persistent incidence of student distress and extreme steps at the country's premier engineering institutions has once again come into sharp focus following a tragic occurrence at IIT Bombay. Comprehensive official figures covering 23 IIT campuses across India document that 45 students lost their lives to suicide between the academic years 2020-21 and 2024-25. A particularly alarming dimension of this five-year record is that 28 of those who died belonged to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) backgrounds, highlighting an acute vulnerability among marginalized student cohorts. Parliamentary Record Outlines Demographic Breakdown The consolidated information emerged in response to a starred question tabled in the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2025, drawing on official records submitted by all individual IITs. The 28 students from marginalized backgrounds represent more than 62 percent of the 45 suicide cases documented during this timeframe. Breaking down the numbers further, 12 students were from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), nine from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, and seven from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. In addition to these, 16 students belonged to the general category, while one student was from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). Sharp Spike Recorded in 2023-24 with Hyderabad Leading the Count Year-on-year trends show that the number of student suicides rose sharply during the academic year 2023-24. While the preceding year 2022-23 recorded six instances, the count climbed to 16 in 2023-24. The grim trajectory continued into 2024-25, which saw 13 students die by suicide. Across individual campuses over the entire five-year window, IIT Hyderabad registered the highest count with seven student suicides. IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi, and IIT Kanpur followed closely with six cases each, while IIT Madras reported five instances and IIT (BHU) Varanasi recorded four. Among the 13 students who died in the 2024-25 period, four belonged to OBC, three to ST, two to SC, and four to the general category. The official compilation specifically notes that eight unnatural deaths that took place during this five-year span were documented under a separate category and are not part of the 45 recorded suicide cases. IIT Bombay Witnesses Third Campus Tragedy in Seven Months This broader data surfaces against the backdrop of a recent tragedy at IIT Bombay's Powai campus, where a 22-year-old student was found hanging inside his hostel room. Police officials indicated that Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering hailing from Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, had allegedly been caught using a mobile phone during an examination. According to an official statement issued by the institute, the student had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT to generate answers. On Friday, Wakode was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan in Hostel 4 after hostel mates noticed an absence of response from his room and alerted authorities, who then summoned the police. Investigators confirmed that no suicide note was recovered from the premises. This incident marks the third student suicide at the Powai campus within a span of just seven months. Earlier, in February, another second-year BTech student took his own life, followed by another 20-year-old second-year BTech student who died by suicide in July 2026 at the commencement of the new semester. What this means for you These findings underline profound structural concerns regarding academic pressure, mental well-being, and institutional support across premier technological campuses in India. • For Students and Parents: The data highlights an acute mental health burden within high-pressure academic settings. Families and students must prioritize open communication and proactively seek institutional mental health counseling and crisis support when academic difficulties arise. • For Academic Administrations: With over 62 percent of fatalities involving marginalized categories, institutes must critically evaluate diversity initiatives, anti-discrimination safeguards, and faculty mentorship mechanisms. Administrative disciplinary procedures need closer scrutiny to prevent punitive escalation from triggering fatal despair. • Regarding Examination Stress and AI: Incidents linked to cheating allegations highlight the need for clear guidelines, fair hearing protocols, and emotional de-escalation rather than purely punitive threats. Campuses must balance academic integrity with proportional disciplinary practices that protect student lives. • Locally in Mumbai and Hyderabad: Campuses recording recurrent cases face heightened anxiety among their resident student populations. Immediate steps toward strengthening hostel peer networks, active counselor visits, and responsive redressal forums are critically required. Why this happened A combination of intense competitive pressure, socio-demographic vulnerabilities, and punitive disciplinary fears underpins the tragic loss of lives across IIT campuses, as reflected in official submissions and recent events. • Severe Academic Pressure and Disciplinary Dread: In the recent Powai tragedy, immediate distress stemmed from being apprehended using an AI tool during an examination, where fear of suspension and institutional shame triggered fatal panic. The unforgiving competitive ethos of elite institutions often leaves fragile support margins for academic missteps. • Vulnerability Among Marginalized Demographics: The disproportionate share of SC, ST, and OBC students among the deceased points to compounded systemic hurdles. These students frequently navigate difficult transitions involving social isolation, cultural barriers, and perceived lack of institutional empathy. • Gaps in Early Distress Detection: Multiple consecutive tragedies within a single campus over a span of seven months point to shortcomings in monitoring student well-being within residential hostels. Solitary withdrawal often goes unaddressed until it culminates in irreparable loss. Questions & Answers 1. How many student suicides were officially recorded across IITs in the five-year period? A total of 45 students died by suicide across 23 IITs between the academic years 2020-21 and 2024-25. 2. How many of the deceased students belonged to SC, ST, and OBC categories? Out of the 45 students, 28 were from marginalized categories, including 12 from OBC, nine from SC, and seven from ST communities. 3. Which IIT recorded the highest number of student suicides over these five years? IIT Hyderabad recorded the highest toll with seven student suicides during this timeframe. 4. Which academic year saw the peak in suicide figures across IITs? The academic year 2023-24 recorded the highest spike, with 16 student suicides reported. 5. Who was the student involved in the recent tragedy at IIT Bombay? The student was identified as Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering department. 6. Are unnatural deaths included in the tally of 45 student suicides? No, eight unnatural deaths recorded during this five-year period were classified separately and are not part of the 45 suicide cases. https://trendkia.com/en/education/desha-ke-23-iit-parisaron-men-pancha-sala-men-45-chhatron-ne-gnvai-jana-sabase-gnbhira-sthiti-hyderabad-men-36679 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.