Over 4,400 students dropped out of IITs and NITs in the last three years from the 16 IITs and 30 NITs of the country due to various reasons including “academic stress”, reveals Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha,
“As many as 2,060 students dropped out from various IITs from 2012 to 2015. Again during this three-year period, 2,352 students dropped out from NIT also,” said the HRD minister in Lok Sabha during Question Hour. The minister also informed that corrective actions have been initiated.
“The reasons for dropouts may be attributed to shifting to other colleges/institutions, personal reasons, medical reasons, getting jobs during PG courses, inability to cope with academic stress etc,” Irani said in a written reply.
Interestingly, there were no dropouts at IITs in Mandi, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Madras and Ropar during the 2014-15 period.
“There is a mechanism for helping students who are under stress. The government is committed to address issues related to academic stress,” she said.
Listing out various initiatives that are in place to minimize dropouts at IITs, Irani said there is a guidance and counselling unit, headed by a faculty member. It works closely along with a number of faculty counsellors and advisors to “identify students facing emotional difficulties and guide them to professional counsellors for help”.
(With input from PTI)
