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Business Standard

In a first, IIT-Kharagpur appoints its first 'Dean of Student Well-being'

In a historic step among the Indian Institutes of Technology, IIT-Kharagpur has appointed Professor Arun Chakraborty as its first Dean of Student Well-being. The appointment was unveiled during the induction programme for the new BTech batch on July 26. This marks a deliberate move to ensure students' mental health receives dedicated attention—distinct from the traditional administrative role of the Dean of Student Affairs. Chakraborty, from the Centre for Ocean, River, Atmosphere and Land Sciences, described the role as both urgent and deeply needed. He emphasised his availability to students 24/7, encouraging them to seek support irrespective of how minor a concern may seem. 'We are here like parents,' he assured students. The appointment comes amid a backdrop of four student suicides over the past seven months, the most recent being a mechanical engineering student in July. The new post is designed to bring a more personalised and proactive response to student welfare. IIT- Kharagpur's work on SETU IIT-Kharagpur has launched several innovative measures under the SETU framework (Support, Empathy, Transformation, and Upliftment), including an AI-powered mental wellness platform, revamped counselling services (Sarth), 'campus mothers', student task forces, and workshops on managing stress. These efforts are especially vital considering the institute's scale—home to more than 16,000 students across 21 hostels—highlighting the need for a role focused exclusively on well-being. The administration also plans to gather regular feedback from students on the effectiveness of these measures, ensuring the programmes evolve to address emerging challenges. With a culture of openness, early intervention, and empathy, IIT-Kharagpur aims to set a benchmark for student welfare in higher education institutions across the country.