KIIT student suicides: UGC issues ‘show-cause’ notice to varsity after probe panel finds serious lapses

The University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a ‘show-cause’ notice to KIIT University in Bhubaneswar after a fact-finding panel probing student suicides pointed out serious lapses on the varsity's part, a UGC notification issued on Monday in this regard said.

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The panel was constituted in May by the UGC after a 20-year-old Nepalese girl student of KIIT named Prakriti Lamsal was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room.

“This is to bring to your (KIIT’s) notice that two tragic incidents involving the alleged suicide of two students of your institution took place on February 6, 2025, and May 1, 2025 within the premises and under the jurisdiction of your institution,” the UGC said.

“The incident has raised serious concerns regarding the mental health support system, safety protocols, and administrative response mechanisms prevailing in your institution. The Fact-Finding Committee constituted by the University Grants Commission to investigate these suicide incidents has identified critical lapses that contributed to the escalation of such events,” the Commission’s notice mentioned.

In view of the above, KIIT was directed to show cause in writing within seven days from the date of receipt of this notice, as to why disciplinary or legal action should not be initiated against the educational institution.

The UGC has said that the institution deemed to be a University will be warned in writing with public notice or barred from any expansion in terms of diversification for three years or more.

“The UGC may order closure of the courses or programmes of study or Departments and off campuses or constituent institutions or off-shore campuses or may result in withdrawal of the status of institution deemed to be a university,” the official communiqué stated.

The ‘illegal and unlawful activities’ by KIIT led to the suicides of two Nepalese students, and the actions of the administration amount to criminal liability, the fact-finding panel set up by the UGC has found. The panel said the “suicides could have been averted.”

The report noted that KIIT University had the power to punish the accused boy after the first complaint. However, they “favoured” the boy by forcing an illegal compromise with the girl, which led to her untimely death by suicide.

“This matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness given its sensitive and tragic nature,” the Grants Commission expressed.

Serious lapses in the KIIT infrastructure and governance, ignorance of complaints of sexual harassment, and prioritising the varsity’s reputation over regulations, law of the land, and international relations of the country, are among the “illegal and unlawful activities” on the university's part, the panel has said.