The Union education ministry has ordered corrective measures to improve campus governance and student well-being at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra following a high-level review on Tuesday. This comes as senior professor Brahmjit Singh has been appointed officiating director after the resignation of director BV Ramana Reddy was accepted on Monday.
High-Level Review by Education Minister
The review, chaired by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, examined the academic environment, campus life, and hostel management. It flagged the need for urgent steps to strengthen student engagement, faculty accountability, and overall institutional culture. Immediate measures include hostel upgrades, structured faculty training on mentoring and student well-being, and standard operating procedures to institutionalize student engagement.
Leadership Change and Committee Formation
Officials said the leadership change follows the ministry's decision to withdraw administrative and financial powers of Reddy amid concerns over governance. Reddy had submitted his resignation earlier this month, which was accepted on Friday during a visit by Vineet Joshi, secretary of the Department of Higher Education. Singh, the senior-most professor, had been overseeing administrative work since Reddy's powers were curtailed and will now serve as officiating director.
On March 29, the Centre constituted a three-member panel under the NITSER Act, 2007, to review the institute's functioning and leadership. The committee, comprising Anil Sahasrabudhe, M Madan Gopal, and K K Shukla, is examining governance, academic and administrative processes, recruitment and promotion systems, and complaints flagged by oversight agencies.
Student Suicides Spark Protests
The developments come against the backdrop of four student suicides reported on campus in the past two months, including three in April. The death of a 20-year-old second-year student on April 16 triggered protests, with students alleging negligence and demanding a probe. Following the unrest, authorities suspended academic activities and asked students to vacate hostels, though select batches have been asked to return from May 9.
Additional Actions
In a related move, the institute has suspended joint registrar Gyana Ranjan Samantaray after a central team visited the campus. The Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance, seeking reports from the institute and district authorities. Officials said the interventions aim to restore stability while addressing governance and student welfare concerns.
