Some stories in education leave us deeply disturbed, not because we want to excuse what happened, but because they make us ask whether we could have responded differently.
After more than 25 years in creative practice, education, training and leadership, I’ve learnt that accountability and empathy don’t have to be opposites. As an educator, an empathetic leader and a practitioner of non-violent communication, I believe that even when a student makes a serious mistake, our response should leave room for learning, dignity and a second chance.
In cases of academic misconduct, perhaps institutions could consider a more restorative approach. A student could be given an opportunity to take another supervised examination, while the original misconduct is formally recorded and an appropriate academic consequence is applied. For serious or repeated violations, stronger disciplinary measures can follow. The objective should be to uphold academic integrity without allowing one mistake to define a young person’s entire future.
At the same time, we must uphold due process. The professor who reportedly caught the student during the examination shouldn’t be presumed responsible for the tragedy before an independent investigation establishes the facts. Student protests and concerns deserve to be heard, but so does fairness to faculty. Accountability must be based on evidence, not assumption.
Education isn’t only about maintaining standards. It’s also about teaching people how to recover from mistakes, take responsibility, and make better choices.
I’m sharing this thought with deep respect for everyone affected by the recent IIT Bombay tragedy. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do believe this conversation deserves empathy, dignity, and openness.
I’d genuinely value the perspectives and suggestions of educators, students, researchers, and academic leaders. How can we create systems that protect academic integrity while remaining humane and restorative?
