NationalMonday, 20 July 2026·The Hindu - Tamil Nadu
CIC order on IIT campus suicides: RTI, privacy and preventive committees
The CIC has asked IITs to form high-level committees to prevent student suicides while upholding privacy limits under RTI law.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In July 2026, the Central Information Commission (CIC) directed IITs, including IIT-Madras and IIT-Kanpur, to constitute high-level committees after noting 7 suicides at IIT-Madras between 2019 and June 26, 2025 and 17 suicides at IIT-Kanpur between 2005 and 2025.
Key specifics
- IIT-Madras reported 7 suicides between 2019 and June 26, 2025.
- IIT-Kanpur reported 17 suicides between 2005 and 2025, with 3 cases in 2024.
- The CIC cited Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005 for withholding personal details such as age and caste/category.
- The institutions also referred to the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
- The Commission asked IITs to proactively disclose committee details on their official websites under the RTI Act.
Exam lens
Polity and governance question: RTI Act, 2005, Section 8(1)(j), privacy versus public interest, and institutional accountability. TNPSC may ask which law protects personal data or which section exempts personal information.