UGC team interacts with Dharamsala college faculty, alumni over girl student’s death

An insensitive approach in the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 and the absence of an effective student counselling mechanism may have contributed to heightened stress levels in 19-year-old Pallavi, a student of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, who died on December 26 last year, a high-level fact-finding committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) has observed.

Pallavi’s death had triggered allegations of prolonged ragging, physical assault, sexual harassment and mental harassment.

These observations emerged during the interaction of the UGC-constituted committee with faculty members, students and alumni of the college. The five-member panel visited Dharamsala this week to examine the circumstances leading to the student’s death.

The committee was headed by Prof Raj Kumar Mittal, UGC Member and former Vice-Chancellor of Chaudhary Bansi Lal University. Other members included Prof Sushma Yadav, former UGC member; Dr Neerja Gupta, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University; Prof P Prakash Babu, Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University; and Dr Sunita Siwach, Joint Secretary, UGC, who served as the coordinator.

During interactions with stakeholders, including local police officials investigating the case, the committee reportedly found that students were experiencing high stress due to a lengthy curriculum, fear of examination failure, and the lack of a structured counselling system for weak, failed and dropout students.

The panel observed that the delay in full implementation of NEP-2020 in the college may have contributed to stress and depression, which could have impacted Pallavi’s mental health. In Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, and its affiliated colleges, NEP-2020 has been rolled out in phases from the 2025-26 academic session.

“We are in the process of fully implementing NEP-2020 and hope it will be implemented in letter and spirit from the next academic session in undergraduate courses,” said Dr Amarjeet K Sharma, Director of the state Higher Education Department.

Under NEP-2020, a flexible credit-based system allows students up to seven years to complete a three- or four-year degree, enabling them to clear failed subjects without being detained in the same class. The policy aims to reduce stress and dropout rates.

In Pallavi’s case, the committee noted that she may have slipped into depression after failing in her first year and being barred from attending the next academic session.

During the interaction, Sanjeev Gandhi, president of the Old Students’ Association of the college, questioned the UGC’s role in ensuring strict implementation of NEP-2020. The committee assured him that it would recommend mandatory enforcement of the policy in all universities and colleges in Himachal Pradesh.

The panel also found that the college lacked a counselling mechanism for failed or dropout students and had no system to track students who discontinued their studies. Gandhi urged the UGC to issue guidelines making counselling centres mandatory in educational institutions, preferably led by psychology departments.

The committee reviewed allegations of ragging, physical assault and sexual harassment involving an assistant professor and senior students but said it could not reach a conclusion at this stage.

Refusing to share further details, Prof Raj Kumar Mittal said the committee was yet to finalise its report. The panel also examined the college’s anti-ragging measures, grievance redress mechanisms and student support services.

The committee’s final report is expected to be submitted to the UGC next week, with recommendations on policy implementation, counselling systems and institutional accountability.

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