logo
‘Vomited, tried cleaning it up': Family questions IIT Delhi scholar's death on campus

‘Vomited, tried cleaning it up': Family questions IIT Delhi scholar's death on campus

First Posta day ago

A 25-year-old PhD student at IIT Delhi was found dead in his hostel room on Wednesday under mysterious circumstances. The family, while speaking exclusively to Firstpost, has ruled out suicide as the cause of death. read more
Ayush Singhal, a 25-year-old PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at IIT Delhi, was found dead in his hostel room on Wednesday. His family, who remember him as a bright and diligent scholar with aspirations to advance biomedical research after initially studying dentistry, do not believe he died by suicide and suspect other causes instead.
'He had returned from AIIMS, where he was working on a project, had his dinner, and went for a walk with a friend. On Wednesday, when we couldn't get in touch with him, we informed the university,' said his maternal uncle, Harish Garg.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
He said, 'There were anti-vomiting medicines and a bottle of ORS near him. It looked like he had tried to clean up vomit beside his bed'.
Singhal's PhD research was based at IIT Delhi, with much of his lab work conducted at AIIMS. After the administration intervened, his room door was forcibly opened, and he was found unresponsive on his bed. There were no visible external injuries, but vomit on the floor suggested possible health complications.
'It could be food poisoning or a heart attack. We will know more after the post-mortem,' Garg said.
The family is awaiting the outcome of the post-mortem at Safdarjung Hospital. His mother fainted at the hospital due to the shock. Singhal is survived by his mother and younger sister; his father, a dentist, passed away in 2002.
IIT Delhi officials expressed deep grief over the incident and extended full support to the family. Dean of Student Affairs, Professor BK Panigrahi, is reported to have written an email to students, urging them to seek counselling if needed and emphasised the importance of supporting each other during this difficult time.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
This death has drawn attention to a worrying pattern on the IIT Delhi campus, where several students have died under similar circumstances. Official records, cited in media reports, indicate that at least 12 students have died on campus between 2006 and 2024, with many cases involving isolation and delayed discovery of the body. The majority were male students, and the deaths span undergraduate to PhD levels, with some ruled suicides and others under investigation.
Current and former students describe a culture of intense academic pressure and social isolation, especially among PhD scholars, who often have small social circles confined mostly to their labs. Safety protocols limiting hostel room access have inadvertently reduced peer interaction, making it difficult to check on students who become unresponsive.
One PhD student, quoted by The Indian Express, said, 'The life of a PhD student is completely different in an IIT. We are in our own world and more isolated than the rest of the MTech or BTech students. Our social circles are small, and mostly our peers in the labs would know more about what is happening with us than the ones in the hostel or other friends on campus.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Following up on previous demands, IIT Delhi had commissioned an external committee to examine the institutional environment related to student suicides. The report, submitted in August 2024, highlighted high academic pressure, toxic competitiveness, and also indicated caste and gender discrimination as key issues. However, the institute only publicly acknowledged these findings in April 2025 and is now working on a comprehensive action plan to improve student support structures.
The circumstances surrounding Ayush Singhal's death remain under investigation by the Delhi Police, with the post-mortem report awaited to clarify the cause. Family and friends have not raised suspicions of foul play, but the family's doubts about suicide persist.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Aiims Delhi could expand footprint across NCR under new NITI Aayog plan
Aiims Delhi could expand footprint across NCR under new NITI Aayog plan

Business Standard

time7 hours ago

  • Business Standard

Aiims Delhi could expand footprint across NCR under new NITI Aayog plan

In a bid to ease pressure on the overstretched medical infrastructure at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims), Delhi, the NITI Aayog is likely to propose a comprehensive revamp of the institute, according to a news report by The Economic Times. This includes a significant expansion aimed at enabling the institute to deliver clinical services across multiple locations within the National Capital Region (NCR). A report outlining short-term, medium-term, and long-term policy measures is anticipated to be submitted to the Ministry of Health in the latter half of this year. The objective is to ease the burden on existing infrastructure and allow doctors to dedicate more time to medical research, The Economic Times quoted a government official as saying. Utilisation of existing infrastructure The committee is considering the use of underutilised or unutilised facilities in other government hospitals and potentially even private hospitals for running Aiims ' outpatient department (OPD). The move aims to allow the premier healthcare institution to focus on critical and trauma-related cases, while also reducing waiting times for other essential medical procedures, the report noted. A committee led by NITI Aayog member VK Paul is examining the existing systems and processes at the AIIMS. It is expected to produce a detailed blueprint of the proposed reforms soon, complete with defined timelines for implementation, to elevate the healthcare services at Aiims to meet international standards. The Terms of Reference for the reform include identifying ways to streamline patient inflow, developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure optimal research outcomes, and recommending strategies for financial prudence in managing Aiims. In collaboration with the Centre for Social and Economic Progress Research Foundation, NITI Aayog has analysed the experiences of various countries that have implemented Universal Health Coverage (UHC) models. These findings are intended to inform India's policy development in this domain. Support for rare disease treatment Earlier, the public policy think tank had recommended fast-tracking indigenously manufactured dosage forms (small molecules) for selected rare diseases. As a part of this initiative, four drugs have been introduced at prices significantly lower – ranging from 1/60th to 1/100th – than their imported counterparts. Separate law to tackle public health crises Last year, NITI Aayog had recommended a separate legislation, the Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA), to effectively manage disease outbreaks and pandemics. This proposal is part of the broader Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response (PPER) framework, which aims to establish a comprehensive roadmap and action plan to tackle any future public health emergencies.

How Bihar is ramping up AB-PMJAY heath infra to keep patients from turning to Delhi, Vellore
How Bihar is ramping up AB-PMJAY heath infra to keep patients from turning to Delhi, Vellore

The Print

time9 hours ago

  • The Print

How Bihar is ramping up AB-PMJAY heath infra to keep patients from turning to Delhi, Vellore

As the state heads for a high-stakes assembly election later this year, the Bihar government has now intensified efforts to ramp up medical infrastructure, reaching out to beneficiaries of the Centre's flagship health insurance scheme so they don't have to go outside the state seeking treatment. The reason: Lack of quality health services, which led a high number of AB-PMJAY beneficiaries to avail the scheme's portability feature—allowing beneficiaries from one state to access healthcare in any other—and seek treatment in hospitals outside the state, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and the Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore, among others. Patna/New Delhi: In the last financial year, the central and Bihar governments paid nearly a third of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) funds for the state, to facilities outside of it. In addition, efforts are on to provide medical facilities for complex cases within Bihar by tying up with a higher number of private health facilities under the scheme. The data shared by the Bihar health department shows that in 2024-25, the total spending on AB-PMJAY was Rs 1,010.38 crore, of which Rs 333 crore or 32.9 percent was spent through the portability feature. However, the national spending under the scheme's portability feature was just 2.8 percent or Rs 3,100 crore, out of a total Rs 1,07,125 crore spent overall under the scheme, but the government is trying every bit under AB-PMJAY till September 2024. Under AB-PMJAY—which is aimed at providing cashless hospitalisation worth up to Rs 5 lakh to the poorest and most vulnerable population through a network of empaneled hospitals—the Centre and state bear the cost of treatment in a 60:40 ratio. Sheshank Shekhar Sinha, chief executive officer of Bihar Swasthya Suraksha Samiti (BSSS), which oversees the implementation of AB-PMJAY in the state, said efforts were on to provide required medical care to patients closer to home. 'A large number of patients from Bihar have been going to places like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai for seeking care, but the government is trying every bit to strengthen specialty and superspeciality care in the state apart from primary health services,' he said. AIIMS, Patna, which is a centrally-run institute, was also being supported by the state government in every possible way, said Sinha, to emerge as a mega health hub in the state. Bihar Swasthya Suraksha Samiti figures show that in 2024-25, 145 hospitals had been onboarded under the scheme. An additional 100 hospitals—mostly private hospitals offering single or multi-specialty care—are in the pipeline to be empanelled under the scheme, according to Shailesh Chandra Diwakar, administrative officer with the BSSS. Since last year, according to details shared by the state government, authorities mapped all the registered hospitals in the state and districts and have been conducting field visits to assess potential empanelment readiness. According to the AB-PMJAY dashboard maintained by the National Health Authority—the agency under the Union Health Ministry responsible for the scheme's implementation—of the total 9.05 crore hospital admissions under the scheme since its 2018 launch, only 18 lakh admissions have involved patients from Bihar. For perspective, Tamil Nadu is among the states with the highest admissions, at over 1 crore. Also read: Why nearly dozen multi-speciality private hospitals in Delhi aren't too keen on AB-PMJAY empanelment Strong focus on beneficiary identification A key challenge, state government health officials said, has been relatively low awareness around AB-PMJAY. Initially, beneficiaries were based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas, respectively, as per the central government norm. However, in 2024, the state decided to expand it to all those covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013, or all those with ration cards. Following this, a major drive has been initiated to create Ayushman cards for the estimated beneficiaries. This includes door-to-door campaigns by ASHA workers, whose incentives were revised from Rs 5 per card to Rs 15 per card; and the engagement of panchayati raj executive assistants for the purpose, apart from intensified awareness campaigns. A total of 2.83 crore Ayushman cards were created in 2024, Diwakar pointed out. The statistics shared by the state government also showed that the government spending on the scheme jumped from about Rs 307 crore in 2023-2024 to 1010.38 crore in the last fiscal. 'This is a remarkable rise and testament to our commitment to let the needy take utmost advantage of the scheme,' a government official said. Also while in 2023-24 the government had settled claims against 3.03 lakh hospital admissions in Bihar, in the next financial year, this number crossed 7.5 lakh hospital admissions. But some public health specialists underlined that the state needs to work harder on improving the referral and primary health care. 'A 10-year-old rape victim recently succumbed to her injuries due to delay in treatment at two leading medical colleges in Bihar,' Amulya Nidhi, national convenor of Jan Swasthya Abihyan, a group that advocates patients' rights, told ThePrint. Without improving the referral and primary health care, Ayushman cards won't be of much help, he stressed. The death of the 10-year-old Dalit girl from Muzaffarpur following her alleged rape by a neighbour, outside the Patna Medical College and Hospital—one of the state's biggest government-run tertiary care centres—as she waited in an ambulance for admission, had triggered national outrage. She was earlier reportedly denied treatment at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur. The episode, which took a political turn, saw the suspension of two senior doctors at these facilities by the state administration on charges of dereliction of duty. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Chirag targets Nitish over Muzaffarpur case, flags 'breakdown' in Bihar law & order, healthcare

NEET UG Results 2025: Top 10 Medical Colleges In India And Their Fees
NEET UG Results 2025: Top 10 Medical Colleges In India And Their Fees

News18

time9 hours ago

  • News18

NEET UG Results 2025: Top 10 Medical Colleges In India And Their Fees

Last Updated: NEET UG Results will be released soon. Here's a look at the top 10 medical colleges in India and their fees. Top 10 Medical Colleges In India: With the NEET UG 2025 results just around the corner, lakhs of aspiring doctors are not only anxiously awaiting their scores but also contemplating their next big decision—which medical college to choose. The choice of college plays a crucial role in shaping one's medical career, and selecting the right institution can make all the difference. The NIRF 2024 rankings highlight the top medical colleges in India, evaluated on key parameters such as academic excellence, research output, faculty quality, and career outcomes. If you're planning to pursue an MBBS degree, here's the list of the best medical institutions in the country to consider. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) has consistently ranked the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, as the top medical college in India. AIIMS Delhi has retained the No. 1 position for four consecutive years, from 2021 to 2024, reaffirming its reputation for excellence in medical education and research. First Published: June 09, 2025, 18:15 IST

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store