India’s premier engineering institutions need to look beyond academic rankings and placement packages to create a more humane and inclusive campus culture, experts said at the India Today Mumbai Conclave 2026 today, calling for reforms to address academic pressure, social exclusion and gaps in mental health support.
During a session titled “The IIT Reset: Making Excellence Humane”, economist and educationist Narendra Jadhav, former IIT Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao, and IIT Kanpur alumnus and global IIT alumni support group founder Dheeraj Singh discussed the challenges facing students at the country’s elite engineering institutions.
The discussion followed the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, whose case sparked protests and renewed questions about student well-being, alleged discrimination and institutional accountability.
ACADEMIC PRESSURE AND COMPETITION UNDER SCRUTINY
Rao argued that IITs face mounting challenges as student intake has expanded without a corresponding improvement in infrastructure and faculty-student ratios. He also pointed to the pressure of relative grading and the transition from coaching-centre learning to a more demanding academic environment.
He called for greater flexibility in curricula and for mental health and social behaviour to become part of campus education, rather than treating counselling as a standalone intervention.
Jadhav flagged concerns over declining public expenditure on education as a share of GDP. Referring to the Kothari Commission’s recommendation of allocating 6 per cent of GDP to education, he said India’s spending had once crossed 4 per cent but had since fallen to around 3 per cent.
“As a ratio of GDP, that has actually gone down rather than going up,” he said, describing the trend as a “retrograde step”.
Rao also highlighted the funding constraints facing India’s higher education sector, arguing that inadequate investment was compounding the challenges faced by IITs. “What China spends on two universities, Tsinghua and Peking University, is our entire Ministry of Education higher education budget right now,” he said, underlining the gap between India’s higher education ambitions and the resources allocated to its institutions.
INCLUSION MUST GO BEYOND ADMISSIONS
Jadhav said student distress could not be reduced to a single cause, pointing to academic pressure, caste-based discrimination, social isolation and inadequate mental health facilities.
He argued that institutions must address barriers to belonging, including the experiences of students from marginalised communities and first-generation learners. Jadhav also called for faculty training focused on empathy and more predictable academic processes that allow students a second chance without lowering standards.
EXPERTS FLAG GAPS IN TRUST AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Jadhav cited findings from the National Task Force’s interim report, released in June 2026, which surveyed 2.4 lakh students. According to the figures he presented, 44 per cent of students did not trust their institutions’ grievance-redressal mechanisms, while 34 per cent felt like outsiders or believed they were not wanted on campus.
He said seemingly small instances, including remarks about students’ names and languages, could contribute to a sense of exclusion.
Singh, meanwhile, called for greater accountability among institutional leadership, independent investigations and measurable outcomes for student well-being. He argued that institutions must examine the circumstances and triggers surrounding student deaths instead of treating them as isolated tragedies.
EXCELLENCE MUST COME WITH EMPATHY
While the experts differed on the relative weight of academic competition, discrimination and institutional constraints, they converged on the need for systemic reform. Their broader message was that maintaining high academic standards must go hand in hand with inclusion, accessible mental health support and a campus culture where students feel they belong.
Singh also urged students, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds and first-generation learners, not to doubt their place at IITs. He asked students to seek help early and build real support networks, while urging parents to look beyond grades and placement packages.
“You have earned your seat in IIT, and you do not owe anybody any explanation. It is your hard work which has got you a place here. So have zero doubt in your mind about this,” Singh said, cautioning students and parents against placing excessive importance on academic grades and salary packages, urging them to enjoy life beyond the pursuit of academic and professional success.
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