IIT Kharagpur Director Tells Students Exams Don't Define Them Ahead of Semester Tests

Ahead of the semester examinations at IIT Kharagpur, the institute's Director, Prof Suman Chakraborty, has reached out to students with a message aimed at easing exam-related anxiety, reminding them that an examination reflects only one day's performance and not their identity or future.

The message, shared on social media along with a video, arrives at a time of heightened concern about student mental health across the IIT system. It follows the death by suicide of a second-year student at IIT Bombay, which occurred after the student was found with a phone in an examination hall and was alleged to have used ChatGPT during the test. That incident set off protests on the Mumbai campus, with students demanding transparency and stronger support systems.

In his post, Prof Chakraborty told students that an exam measures what they wrote on a particular day, and does not measure who they are or what they will become. He pointed out that securing a place at IIT Kharagpur is itself proof of years of sustained effort and ability, and encouraged students to trust their preparation, breathe, and approach one question at a time.

Acknowledging the weight of exam pressure, he said students should know they are not carrying it alone, adding that the institute stands behind every one of them, in good times and difficult ones.

The note is the latest instance of an IIT administration speaking directly to students about academic pressure, as campuses confront questions about how best to support those struggling during examination season.