Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) will review and strengthen its campus health centre, emergency response system and hospital referral arrangements after the death of a 26-year-old student following a cardiac arrest, the institute said in a statement issued on Wednesday night.
The institute said it plans to have two full-time doctors on campus, provide ambulance support around the clock and strengthen student support services. It will also review existing service gaps, referral pathways and the functioning of its health and well-being committee.
P Janarthanan, a master of hospital administration student, complained of breathlessness during a class at about 9 am on Monday, according to the report. He was taken to a hospital in a fellow student’s car and died after reaching the facility at around 10 am, sources said. Students had alleged that an ambulance or other campus transport was not available at the time.
Students also questioned why Janarthanan was not taken to BARC Hospital, which they said was closer to the campus. The institute’s statement provided an account of the incident but did not specify the outcome of any independent inquiry into the emergency response or explain the reasons for the referral decision.
TISS said it would finalise a written emergency protocol for health centre staff and issue separate guidance for students and faculty members. The proposed changes also include stronger counselling services and referral pathways for students seeking mental health support. The institute said it would monitor progress on the measures.
The announcement followed protests and student gatherings on campus. The Progressive Students Forum called for an independent inquiry, appropriate compensation and institutional support for Janarthanan’s family. In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the student collective said the administration should establish clear and time-bound accountability for the circumstances surrounding the death and the campus emergency response.
The ABVP also staged a protest earlier on Wednesday and submitted a list of demands. Several students had gathered on Tuesday for a candlelight vigil. Students separately called for the resignation of the Dean of Student Affairs on moral grounds, alleging a failure to ensure basic standards of student welfare, health and safety.
TISS said psychosocial support would be provided to Janarthanan’s close friends and that academic and other support would be extended to students affected by the incident. His final rites took place in his native place in Tamil Nadu on September 9, according to the report. The institute’s next steps are the review of its health and emergency systems, the finalisation of the written protocol and the monitoring of the proposed changes.
