‘Campus Mothers’ Is Not Care. It Is Patriarchy and Gendered Exploitation
Anjali Chauhan | 14 July 2025 | Deccan Herald
In a move that has sparked more concerns than applause, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has proposed a new initiative called ‘Campus Mothers’, under which women residing on campus (including both faculty and non-faculty) will be trained to provide emotional support and mentorship to students in distress.
Announced by the institute’s director, Suman Chakraborty, the programme is presented as a response to the rising cases of student suicides across IITs — with three such deaths reported at IIT Kharagpur alone this year.
Chakraborty’s rationale is rooted in a particular vision of maternal care. “Having gone through motherhood, they understand the unique challenges children face,” he says, noting that students…