IITs must teach that marks are not most important thing: Delhi High Court refuses to order FIR in suicide of 2 SC students

The Delhi High Court recently urged the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to make conscious efforts to counsel young students that scoring good marks is not the most important thing..While dismissing a petition seeking registration of a first information report (FIR) in a case involving the suicide of two IIT Delhi students from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar held,"This Court can understand the sentiments of the parents of the deceased and deeply discourages the growing trend of pressurising young minds to perform the best in every aspect of life leading them to take unfortunate steps. It is high time that the faculty as well as other staff members of Indian Institute of Technology make conscious efforts and take endeavours to counsel, encourage, motivate and invigorate the students. It is of utmost priority to make the young minds understand that though scoring good marks and performing your best is important but it is not the most important thing in life and one can certainly give his/her best without succumbing to the pressures or stress of performing better.".It was the parents’ case that their children were facing caste-based discrimination by the faculty/staff of IIT Delhi. They also alleged that the faculty members are trying to save the real accused persons and police officials are not investigating the matter in a proper manner.They claimed that police officials are acting in connivance with the administration of IIT Delhi, and have deliberately followed delay tactics so that all the evidence is systematically destroyed. The petitioners thus sought registration of a first information report (FIR) in the case.Delhi Police told the Court that both the deceased students were failing in multiple subjects and that it was most likely that they committed suicide by hanging because they were not able to withstand the pressure to perform better..The Court dismissed the plea, stating that the allegations levelled by the petitioners could not be corroborated and there is nothing to substantiate them..Advocates Mehmood Pracha, Jatin Bhatt and Harshit S Gahlot appeared for the petitioner parents.Special Public Prosecutor Ripu Daman Bhardwaj represented the CBI.The State was represented through Additional Standing Counsel Rupali Bandhopadhya. .[Read Judgment]