An engineering student from Arunachal Pradesh was found dead at his rented accommodation near his college at Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district on Saturday.

The death triggered protests by students on Sunday who pinned the blame on the college’s “harsh” credit score system.

Higher Education Minister Roji M John has asked the college to discontinue the “year back” system, which requires a student to repeat an academic year, while directing the college to conduct a probe into the matter.

The deceased student was identified as Michi Marpu, 20, hailing from Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh. He was a fifth semester B Tech student at Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, an autonomous institute, at Kothamangalam.

Police said they have registered a case of unnatural death and a probe is underway.

Marpu was staying as a paying guest on a rented premises along with other students. Around 3 pm, he was found dead. A suicide note was also recovered, police said.

‘Feared repeating an entire year’

A student, who was part of the protest on Sunday and does not want to be identified, said, “The college had sacked him from the class one-and-a-half month ago. Even that decision was not properly communicated to him. In all colleges under the Kerala Technological University, the credit score is 18, whereas at Mar Athanasius, it is 22. He feared that as he did not meet the credit score ceiling fixed by the college, he would be forced to repeat the entire year. The college is charging a hefty fee for supplementary exams.”

Story continues below this ad

College principal Dr Bose Mathew said the victim had not been attending the classes since July when the fifth semester of the B Tech commenced. “He had lost (failed) four subjects in the previous semester. Our college is an autonomous institute and we have our own syllabus and credit score. Other autonomous colleges in Kerala have similar credit scores. The protesting students have raised several demands, including reducing the credit score from 22 to 18. Our academic council will make a decision. We will also address the students’ demand to reduce the fee for supplementary examinations,’’ he said.

The college principal said the student had joined the college under the national quota. “We have had several students from Arunachal Pradesh and other states over the years,’’ he said.

Police sources said, “Prima facie, our probe showed the student has taken the extreme step due to issues related to studies. At present, we have registered a case of unnatural death. The suicide note also indicates issues about studies… The autonomous status of the college is a big issue. They can fix the norms and other processes. Hence, prima facie, we cannot find fault with issues like credit score fixed by the college.”

Minister John, meanwhile, told the media that the board of studies of Kerala Technological University had taken a decision in 2024 to introduce the “year back’’ system in the fifth semester. Accordingly, this session, the system was introduced.

Story continues below this ad

“After the present government came to power, the matter came to our notice. In the first syndicate meeting of the university, it was decided to suspend the year back system. All the colleges under the university were told to abandon it. However, Mar Athanasius college has not taken a decision so far. I have asked the college to abandon the year back system. I have also asked the university to conduct a probe into the issue,’’ he said.