'Need overhaul of education system': Dipke on IIT Delhi suicide protest

NEW DELHI—Cockroach Janata Party founder Dipke has called for a "complete overhaul" of India's higher education system in the wake of the tragic death of 31-year-old IIT Delhi MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar. In a post on X, Dipke emphasized that students require an environment where they feel "supported, heard, and hopeful about their future."

Dipke's comments came as IIT Delhi established a final external inquiry committee to probe the circumstances surrounding Kumar's death on August 22 by falling from the sixth floor of the Lecture Hall Complex. The committee, headed by retired Delhi high court judge Justice Mukta Gupta, includes Professor Pratap Sharan, head of AIIMS New Delhi's Department of Psychiatry, four student representatives, and IIT Delhi's Registrar.

The panel will review existing protocols, processes, and student support systems, with a report due within two weeks. Kumar, a 2025 freshman residing in a campus hostel, had been receiving counseling and medical treatment following concerns raised by peers during Holi celebrations. His requests for withdrawal from the second and third semesters were approved.