IISc Bengaluru To Remove Ceiling Fans From Hostels To 'Prevent Suicides': Report

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru is removing ceiling fans from the students' rooms as a measure to curb suicides on the campus. They are reportedly also restraining access to terraces, and rooftops to students. While this mechanism is criticized by the students, the institute has put the concerns on hold to clear all the fans and install wall-mounted fans in all hostel rooms.

No More Fans!?

According to the students, the fan removal drive began early this week at the U-Block hostel. It also quoted from an internal e-mail to the chairman of the Student's Council, which said personnel charged with the work have indicated (to students) that "all rooms in all the hostels of the IISc will be covered in the next 15 days… They state that the move is in response to the recent student suicides in hostels," as reported by India.com.

There was a poll conducted by students to record their stand on this initiative, and as per the letter received by the Deccan Herald, 90 per cent out of the 305 respondents did not want the ceiling fans to be replaced, while 6 per cent did not really care about the decision. In addition to this, 88 per cent of students think that replacing ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans would not help curb suicides on campus. Dr Soumitra Pathare, a consultant psychiatrist at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune has tweeted, "This is India's top science institute. I have a better suggestion for IISc. Why don't you just remove all students? No students, no suicides," in response to the initiative.

While the Students' Council has promised to take the matter to the management for consideration, the institute has not responded to any messages or alerts from the students concerning their uninformed decision.

Mental Health Considered?

Four students have died by suicide this year and two in the year 2020. According to the students, there is a Wellness Centre in the institute which apparently caters to the mental health of students, but in practice is not effective and "has been useless mostly." The institute claims to be searching for more effective modes to provide support for the students and their mental health, while the students are upset with the management for coming up with baseless initiatives, rather than actually requiring support.

The college recorded four suicides in a span of seven months this year owing to the pandemic. "We were not allowed to even speak with our batchmates on open grounds. It was extremely unnerving and the act of living there in isolation took a toll on our mental health," a PhD student was quoted as saying by The Print.

The students were not allowed to step outside the campus, even after the city lifted the lockdown after the second wave, according to a student. The students accuse poor management of the rise in suicides on the campus. Adding to the folly, the removal of ceiling fan measure by the college only reflects the management quality to which the students have fallen prey.

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