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A 24-year-old final-year student pursuing BTech in Computer Science from Sharda University in Greater Noida allegedly hanged himself at a private hostel late Friday alleging that he could not take “stress” and “pressure anymore”.
The Greater Noida Police identified the deceased as Shivam Kumar Dey, a resident of Madhubani in Bihar’s Purnia district. In a purported suicide note, Shivam called wrote he was “not a good student” and requested the police to not take any action against anyone. He also requested Sharda University to initiate a refund of his fees.
In a statement, Sharda University said that as Shivam’s CGPA did not meet the required 5.0 criteria for promotion to the third year, he was given additional chances to appear for special examinations to improve and also provided the option of re-admission to the second year at only 40% of the fee. However, Shivam did not re-register himself, it added.
Police said they received information from a private hospital that Shivam hanged himself in the hostel at Knowledge Park. The body has been sent for postmortem, an officer added.
In the purported one-page suicide note, Shivam wrote: “If you are reading this, I am dead. My death is my own decision. No one is involved in this… I have been planning this for the past year.”
“This world is not for me. Or might (be) I am not for it. I am just useless. Request police do not detain anyone for my death. A special request to the colledge (college) Sharda University to please refund all the unused fees of mine to my parents since I never joined (college) after my (second) year. I was not a good student or maybe never was for this education system… If this country wants to be great, start from the real education system.”
In the purported note, he also apologised to his parents. “…Sorry Baba, Maa. I couldn’t be your old age support. I can’t take this stress, pressure anymore… I am sorry.”
His father Kartik Dey said Shivam had left home to return to the university on August 2. “We took a trip to Vaishno Devi recently… We did not suspect anything… If he had not been coming to college, the hostel should have informed us,” he added.
In a statement, Sharda University said Shivam had
completed his first year in 2023-24 and got admission in the second year.
“After regular examinations of the fourth semester in May 2024, his CGPA did not meet the required 5.0 criteria for promotion to the third year. As per the standard procedure, he was guided by his mentor and given an opportunity to improve through the summer term. When he did not achieve the required CGPA even after the results of the summer term, he was given an additional opportunity to appear for a special examination in August 2024,” the university said.
“Even after this, in case the minimum criteria were not met, the university, as per its policy, provided him the option of re-admission to the second year at only 40% of the fee. Although the fee was deposited in the university account, Shivam did not re-register himself or attend any class in 2024-25. Despite this, his mentor kept in touch and tried to involve him in other academic activities like internships,” it added.
The university further assured that Shivam’s deposited fees would be returned.
On July 18, BDS student Jyoti (21) had allegedly hanged herself in her hostel room, leading to the arrest of two faculty members whom she accused of “harassment” in a purported suicide note. While Greater Noida Police arrested faculty members Dr Shairy Vashist and Dr Mahinder Singh Chauhan, it also booked four other faculty members on the charge of abetment of suicide.
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