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KIIT Suicide Row: The Odisha government may postpone KIIT exams following the death of a Nepali student.
KIIT Mid-semester exams likely to be postponed. (Image: KIIT)
The mid-semester exams at KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, may be postponed, Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed today. Speaking in the State Assembly, he addressed concerns about the tragic death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal.
“If necessary, the state will also consider rescheduling their mid-semester examinations. The government will pay special attention to ensure that Nepalese students do not face any reprisals from KIIT in the future,” the minister said.
He assured that the government is ensuring the safety of Nepalese students and has encouraged them to return to campus.
“A high-level committee, led by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, has summoned eight senior officials from KIIT, including its founder Achyuta Samanta, for questioning,” the minister said.
The minister also announced that the state government will cover travel expenses for Nepalese students returning to campus and will arrange remedial classes to help them catch up on lost studies.
Calling the mistreatment of Nepalese students “barbaric,” the minister assured the Assembly that strict action would be taken against those responsible for the student’s suicide and the alleged harassment of Nepalese students.
He dismissed opposition claims that the government was under pressure from “unknown” forces, delaying action. He also denied accusations that the sole accused in the suicide case had links to the ruling BJP. Police have arrested a 21-year-old KIIT engineering student from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly abetting the suicide.
“I heard allegations from some opposition members that the father of the accused had taken a picture with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, implying that the BJP government in Odisha was going slow on the case. This is incorrect. A leading media house fact-checked the claim and clarified that the person in the photograph had a 16-year-old school-going son, not a KIIT student,” the minister clarified.
