New Delhi: Student suicides are a matter of concern and educational institutions should make it their priority to protect and support their students against stress, humiliation or neglect in their campuses, President Droupadi Murmu said on Monday.

In her inaugural address at the Visitor’s Conference, she said it should be an endeavour of heads of institutions, teachers and staff to provide students with a safe and sensitive environment like their homes.

Pointing to the incident of suicide by a 20-year-old student in IIT Delhi this Saturday, the President said such tragic incidents of suicide have happened in many other educational institutions.

“This is a matter of concern for all in the field of education. It should be the priority of educational institutions to protect and support their students against stress, humiliation or neglect in their campuses. Just as the sensible and responsive head of a family, all the heads, teachers and staff of institutions should be sensitive to the needs of the students.

“You are the guide as well as parent of the students. It should be the endeavour of heads of institutions, teachers and staff to provide students with a safe and sensitive environment like their homes,” she said.

A 20-year-old BTech student at IIT Delhi allegedly committed suicide by hanging at his hostel room on Saturday.

The president pointed out that “our daughters perform better when given the opportunity”. She noted that the participation of girls in technology institutions is also increasing. She said efforts must be made to promote the presence and excellence of women students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

“It is a fact that the higher educational institutions that create new knowledge through quality researches continue to be globally renowned. In such educational institutions, many Nobel Laureates provide guidance to research scholars. Our collective effort to position India as a knowledge-power is progressing in such a global context. “On the strength of dedication, confidence and hard work, we can achieve the national goals of higher education. The leaders of educational institutions have a major responsibility in transforming India into a knowledge super-power,” she said.

Murmu said the younger generation see their role models in their teachers and successful personalities.

“The ideals and examples set by them through their conduct are very important. The character-building of youth should be given priority in higher-learning institutions. Morally strong youth, educated in modern knowledge-science and technology, would build a better society and nation,” she said.

Earlier in the day, the president presented the Visitor’s Awards 2021.

The Visitor’s Award for “Innovation” was conferred on Venktesh Singh from the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Central University of South Bihar for developing indigenous Charge Pick-up Panels for Resistive Plate Chamber Detector using Silicon Fiber Sheet.

The Visitor’s Award for “Research in Physical Sciences” was presented to Surajit Dhara from the School of Physics, University of Hyderabad for his work in soft matter and liquid crystals.

Mohammed Latif Khan from Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar received the Visitor’s Award for “Research in Biological Sciences” for his contributions in the understanding of forest biodiversity, regeneration of RET (Rare, Endangered and Threatened) plant species and threat status assessments of forests in the Eastern Himalayas and Central India.

The Visitor’s Award for “Technology Development” was conferred on K C James Raju from the School of Physics, University of Hyderabad for his contributions in frequency tunable microwave devices using ferroelectric thin films.

The president also presented the Visitor’s Award, 2020 for “Research in Physical Sciences” to Anunay Samanta, School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad for his research contributions to the spectroscopy and dynamics of short-lived chemical species formed on photo-excitation of molecular systems and materials.