The tragic loss of a fellow student to suicide has opened our eyes to the silent suffering many are enduring. A tragedy that perhaps could have been prevented had there been a safe space for the student to express their troubles and fears without worry of judgement or misunderstanding. It's time we address this pressing issue.

- Sometimes a student doesn't feel safe sharing his problems - maybe he fears being misunderstood, or fears that his friends will make fun of him; the first step the institute should take is instilling the confidence in students to share their problems without any fear of judgement.

- A panel of counsellors (consisting of Hostel Students, Seniors, Counselling Specialists) should be formed at every hostel, so that students have a trusted place of refuge close to home, their first point of contact whom they can rely on. This panel should conduct compulsory monthly mental health sessions.

- Sessions by Spiritual Speakers, Motivational Counsellors, should be held regularly with a credit/points component so students take mental health seriously and attend these sessions.

- The general opinion in the student community is that existing structures for combating these issues do not do their job very well. Students aren't heard fairly sufficiently, not given enough time, and many other issues which make the current structures not very helpful to students undergoing stress.

Our institute should be a place where students flourish mentally, academically, and socially free from the fear of judgement. It should be the institute’s urgent priority to bring a sense of safety and calm in the students; as such constructive changes must be made as soon as possible.

We need your support to effect this change. Sign this petition to stand with us in our endeavor to promote mental health support in our institute.