Nepali student suicide at KIIT sparks protests

Source: The post Nepali student suicide at KIIT sparks protests has been created, based on the article “The academic link between Nepal and India” published in “The Hindu” on 7th March 2025. Nepali student suicide at KIIT sparks protests

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-International Relations-India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Context:  The article discusses the harassment-based suicide of a Nepali student at KIIT, Bhubaneswar, and the ensuing protests. It highlights the challenges Nepali students face in India, the historical ties in education, and concerns about fair treatment under the Indo-Nepal Treaty.

What happened at KIIT involving a Nepali student?

1. On 16th February 2025, a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) died by suicide due to harassment by a male student.
2. Nepali students protested, accusing the university of ignoring complaints.
3. KIIT initially ordered Nepali students to leave but withdrew this after widespread outrage, including objections from the Nepali government.

How significant is Nepal’s student population in India?

1. In 2021-22, India had 46,878 foreign students from 170 countries, as per AISHE data.
2. Nepali students made up the largest group, accounting for 28% of this number.
3. In 2012-13, Nepali students also led with 21% of total foreign enrolments.
4. Most Nepali students pursue undergraduate courses, but interest in PhD programs is growing.
5. Many prefer engineering and technology fields at IITs, IISc, and private institutes like KIIT.
6. This trend highlights strong educational ties between India and Nepal.

What is the historical connection between Nepal and India’s education systems?

1. Nepal’s academic ties with India trace back to the colonial era, despite Nepal never being a British colony.
2. Elite Nepalis studied in Indian cities like Banaras, Patna, Dehradun, Gorakhpur, and Darjeeling during the Rana regime when education in Nepal was elitist.
3. Tri-Chandra College, Nepal’s first college established in 1918, was affiliated first to Calcutta University and later to Patna University in India.
4. This affiliation meant Indian universities controlled courses, textbooks, pedagogy, exams, and degrees.
5. Instructors in Nepal were mostly educated in Indian universities, influencing Nepal’s educational content.
6. Before Tribhuvan University’s establishment in 1959, higher education in Nepal was limited to undergraduate studies.
7. Indian influence on Nepal’s education system remained strong even after efforts to ‘Nepalise’ it with the National Educational Planning Commission in 1954 and the New Education System Plan in 1971.

What are the cultural and political implications of the KIIT incident?

1. Violation of Treaty Rights: The KIIT incident conflicts with the Indo-Nepal Peace Treaty of 1950, especially Articles 6 and 7, which ensure equal treatment and rights for Nepali nationals in India.
2. Strained Diplomatic Relations: Nepal’s protest against KIIT’s order to vacate Nepali students shows potential harm to India-Nepal ties.
3. Cultural Alienation: Nepali students, the largest group among foreign students in India (28% in 2021-22), may feel unwelcome.
4. Institutional Responsibility: The incident highlights the need for fair treatment of foreign students in Indian institutions.

Question for practice:

Examine how the KIIT incident involving a Nepali student reflects challenges to the rights ensured under the Indo-Nepal Peace Treaty of 1950.