The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-Delhi) will soon set up an office for diversity and inclusion with a dean at the helm.
The premier institution will have its separate office to drive initiatives around gender, sexuality, caste, disability, mental health, etc.
The notice relating to the office released by the director Professor V Ramgopal said that the idea behind the initiative was to celebrate the diversity on the campus, document the benefits of the same for the community, and ensure inclusion for all.
However, the institution already has a dedicated department called Initiative for Gender Equality and Sensitization (IGES) and the Office Accessible Education (OAE) focussing on gender and students with disabilities. Most recently, they decided to set up an LGBTQ+ collective called Indradhanu. The planned office for diversity and inclusion will consolidate their efforts and sensitize the campus community relating to the needs.
The notice also added that more people in the community are coming forward to talk about mental health.
“The number of IIT Delhi community members reaching out to them has been rising, indicating a positive change in health-seeking behavior for mental health issues,” added the notice from the director.
