In response to the tragic suicide of a first-year student earlier this year, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) conducted a comprehensive survey to assess the levels of stress experienced by its students within its intellectually stimulating yet demanding academic environment. The results of this survey have provided further evidence to support the findings of a high-level committee that interviewed faculty members across various departments. The overwhelming conclusion is that a substantial number of first-year students at this prestigious institution experience stress, largely attributed to the fiercely competitive atmosphere that prevails on campus.
The survey reveals that a striking 76% of the students polled admitted to grappling with stress, primarily stemming from academic pressures, while 14% attributed their stress to non-academic factors. The remaining 10% reported feeling stress-free.
To alleviate this situation, IIT-B has undertaken a series of steps aimed at creating a more inclusive and vigilant academic environment. These initiatives include discontinuing the practice of allowing students to change branches after their first year, ceasing late evening or weekend lectures, offering students a second chance to clear subjects, and keeping parents informed about their children’s attendance records.
Furthermore, the institution has made significant efforts to reconfigure its academic structure to reduce stress. This includes ending the practice of allowing students to change branches after their first year, a policy change that stems from insights gleaned from interactions with faculty members across departments. It was observed that a significant number of students aspire to switch branches at the end of their first year, though this aspiration often does not materialize for many. The decision to eliminate this practice is motivated by a desire to avoid re-exposing students to the competitive atmosphere they initially endured when securing admission to IIT.
In an effort to enhance transparency, IIT-B has begun sharing attendance records with parents of first-year students. Moreover, weekend or holiday lectures have been discontinued for first-year students, with academic activities scheduled only between 8.30 am and 5 pm. This arrangement aims to provide students with valuable time to engage in extracurricular activities, self-study, or relaxation.
Additionally, students who previously faced the prospect of repeating an entire course upon receiving a failing grade will now receive an FF grade, which allows them a second opportunity to clear the course before the start of the next semester. These changes aim to alleviate the academic burden on students.
The survey conducted on the campus sheds light on the top reason for stress among freshers, namely, intense competition. Other contributing factors include difficulties in grasping course content, insufficient assistance from teaching assistants and instructors, onerous lab work, quality of mess food, limited interaction with senior students, and homesickness. Out of the 350 first-year students surveyed, constituting 25% of the total batch strength, only 28 students reported experiencing no stress. The survey’s findings were published in the campus magazine, Insight.
These steps taken by IIT-Bombay are part of a larger initiative to create a more supportive and less anxiety-inducing environment for first-year students, who often bear the brunt of academic pressures in their pursuit of excellence in this highly competitive setting. The institution’s commitment to addressing academic stress is evident in these measures, which aim to foster a more conducive learning atmosphere.
