Student suicides and the crisis of trust in academic leadership

Demonstrators stage a candlelight protest to pay tribute to the suicide victims in higher education institutions in Mumbai on September 21, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI Recent student deaths at premier institutions, including IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi, have triggered protests and expressions of anger rarely witnessed on the campuses of India’s institutes of national importance. Beyond the tragedy of lost lives, these protests point to an alarming erosion of trust in academic leadership — from senior administrators to faculty members whom students traditionally look up to as teachers, mentors, and guides. Such a breakdown of trust strikes at the very foundation of the university as a learning institution.(Sign up for THEdge, The Hindu’s weekly education newsletter.) Published - November 13, 2026 04:06 pm IST