Gujarat university installs anti-suicide fans in hostels to curb deaths by hanging
Surat: Concerned over student deaths by suicide, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) in Surat has begun replacing ceiling fans in its hostels with specially designed spring-loaded fans intended to prevent hanging attempts.
More than 250 fans have already been replaced in the university’s girls’ and boys’ hostels, vice chancellor Dr K N Chavda said, according to The Indian Express. The devices have a safety mechanism that causes the fan to slide down when an unusual weight is applied to its rod, thereby preventing a person from using it to attempt hanging.
The university has 312 hostel rooms housing 840 students and a total of 388 ceiling fans. Officials said 375 spring-loaded anti-suicide fans were ordered through the Government e-Marketplace portal at a cost of Rs 8.42 lakh. Each fan is fitted with a 24-inch anti-ligature safety rod.
“So far, 268 fans have been installed, including 158 in girls’ hostels and 110 in boys’ hostels,” the vice chancellor said, adding that the campus has five girls’ hostels and four boys’ hostels.
The move follows the death by suicide of Dr Harsh Pandya, a first-year postgraduate microbiology student at Government Medical College in Surat, in his hostel room in August. His father had filed a police complaint against four senior doctors, alleging harassment; all four have been arrested.
Similar devices were earlier mandated in hostels in Kota, Rajasthan, after the coaching hub recorded 23 student suicides in 2023. The Kota administration had also directed hostel operators to install safety nets on balconies and in common areas.
VNSGU registrar Dr Rameshdan Gadhvi said the initiative was being implemented in line with Supreme Court directions and University Grants Commission guidelines. He said affiliated colleges were also being instructed to adopt necessary safety measures.
Concern over student mental health has been growing across Indian campuses. National Crime Records Bureau data show that student deaths by suicide rose 34 per cent between 2019 and 2023, reaching 13,892, and increased further to 14,488 in 2024. In 2025, three Supreme Court benches flagged the trend and sought effective measures to strengthen mental health support in higher education institutions.
Mental health counsellors at VNSGU said academic pressure, examination stress and family expectations often leave students emotionally vulnerable. While safety devices such as anti-suicide fans can reduce immediate risks, they stressed that counselling and emotional support remain equally important.