Government to set up judicial commission to probe suicide at University

Union Ministry of Human Resources announced on Friday that it had decided to constitute a Judicial Commission to review the sequence of events and circumstances in the context of suicide of research student Rohith Vemula at the Hyderabad University.

The Judicial Commission will establish the facts and correctives in the context of the University and submit submit its report within 3 months, an official release said.

The Ministry also announced that it will launch a special programme in higher educational institutions to address issues faced by students from disadvantaged sections. A programme will be taken up to sensitise academic administrators on understanding and handling problems faced by students from disadvantaged sections.

A programme will be launched for sensitising academic administrators about understanding and handling problems faced by socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged students. Wardens, administrative staff and Registrars will be compulsorily put through this orientation programme. A special module will be prepared for this orientation

All vice chancellors and senior administrators will be sensitised to reach out to socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged students.

“There should be zero tolerance for any acts of discrimination on campus. A special Charter is to be issued to all the higher educational institutions in this regard.”

The release said that a special mechanism would be set up at the Ministry for receiving and taking expeditious action on the grievances from these students.

The Peer-group Assisted Learning (PAL) of IIT Gandhinagar would be extended to all the higher educational institutions under which Mentors would be arranged for the socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged students not only to assist them in education, but to support them with regards to challenges being faced by them within their Institutions.

Union Minister Smriti Zubin Irani today spoke to the mother of Rohith over phone, extended her condolences assured her that justice will be done on the basis of a judicial probe.