IIT Madras to introduce facial recognition attendance system, app coordinating parent visits as part of suicide prevention initiative

The institute saw four cases of student suicides between February and July 2023.

Offered online, completely free of cost, the course conducts its Level 3 & 4 examinations across India. (Image Credit: IIT Madras)

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In the forthcoming academic year starting August, IIT Madras will introduce two practices as part of its suicide prevention initiative — a face recognition attendance management system to identify students absent for prolonged periods of time and an app that will let parents have regular interactions with their children.

The institute saw four cases of suicides between February to July 2023. These efforts the institute says, will be part of its larger suicide prevention approach.

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V Kamakoti, the director of IIT Madras, said the automated attendance system will deploy face-recognition devices and added that the data science programmes running at the institute would help in processing this data.

Saying the initiatives would not “intrude on anybody’s privacy,” Kamakoti said, “Attendance in class, mess, gym among all will be maintained. We will just consolidate that data to see patterns.”

“We are already taking attendance in some of those places. Now, it is just a matter of consolidating it with the automated process instead of the traditional register attendance,” he added.

The director said the approaches were developed keeping in mind the patterns in the cases of the last few suicides.

“It was found that the students did not go to mess. They did not eat. So, for two days if somebody does not eat, I should know so that I can check with the warden and the student’s friends,” he said.

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About the app that will involve parents, Kamakoti said: “IITs have a competitive environment. It cannot be changed as it will reduce standards. At the same time, students should not feel pressured. We will have a system to remind parents to talk to their wards twice a week and record that they have talked and the kid is okay.”

Asked if such mandated interaction will add to parental pressure faced by some students, Kamakoti said, “If they are not involved, at least we will know that. We then will need to give that type of care also for the kid.”

Alongside these, the institute has introduced an eight-step initiative to identify and reduce stress.

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These include: time-bound grievance redressal; strict policy against caste discrimination; professional counselling help on campus as well as with partners outside of the campus for those who are uncomfortable seeking such help on campus; and a comprehensive wellness survey along with training teachers to identify suicidal tendencies.

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The institute has also introduced a team of what it calls “listeners”. Kamakoti said this team would involve a set of volunteers from the faculty or alumni who are trained to listen to individual issues of students.

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Pallavi Smart

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More