An agreement between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) to conduct voluntary programmes on student well-being has triggered criticism from students, alumni and social media users, who have questioned the involvement of a religious organisation in campus initiatives.The institute had announced on Saturday that it signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ISKCON to provide educational and well-being programmes for students who choose to participate. The announcement was later deleted from IIT Kanpur’s social media account on Monday.According to the institute, the programmes will cover areas including self-management, wellness, personal development, stress management and self-esteem. Each course will comprise eight one-hour sessions, with participation remaining entirely voluntary.The agreement has since become the subject of debate online, with students, alumni and others raising questions about the nature of the collaboration and the role of a religious organisation in providing student welfare programmes at an academic institution.

IIT Kanpur director defends MoU

IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal defended the agreement, saying the MoU was signed at the initiative of the students’ body.“We run multiple programmes to help students on campus who are facing difficulties. Any outside organisation which offers help, we are open to taking it,” Agrawal said, according to PTI.The director’s comments come as the institute faces questions over the decision to work with ISKCON for programmes related to student well-being. IIT Kanpur, however, has maintained that participation in the courses is voluntary.The proposed programmes are focused on areas such as stress management and personal development, which are increasingly part of student support initiatives across higher education institutions.

Debate comes amid concerns over student well-being

The controversy also comes against the backdrop of a wider discussion around student well-being and mental health on IIT campuses.The recent death of a student at IIT Delhi has renewed concerns over the support systems available to students and the pressures faced by students at the country’s premier engineering institutions.The Education Ministry had asked all IITs at a Council meeting in 2010 to establish wellness centres and seek the services of professional counsellors on a mandatory basis. Since then, several institutes have introduced wellness centres and counselling services as part of their student support systems.For IIT Kanpur, the institute’s position remains that the programmes are voluntary and that the agreement was intended to make additional support available to students who seek it. The criticism, meanwhile, centres on whether a religious organisation should be involved in such programmes on an IIT campus.(with PTI inputs)