Michi Marpu (20), a resident of Naharlagun in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh and a third‑year engineering student at Mar Athanasius College of Engineering (MACE), Kothamangalam, was found unconscious at his rented accommodation in Kothamangalam, Ernakulam district, Kerala, on Saturday, August 15, and later declared dead, according to reports.
How the incident unfolded
Local reports said Michi was discovered unconscious in his room at about 4.30 pm on Saturday. His friends rushed him to the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital, where doctors pronounced him brought dead. A three‑page suicide note was recovered from his room, the reports added.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Michi Marpu (20) |
| Residence | Naharlagun, Papum Pare, Arunachal Pradesh |
| College | Mar Athanasius College of Engineering (MACE), Kothamangalam |
| Date and time found | 15 August 2026, about 4.30 pm |
| Action taken | Rushed to Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital; declared brought dead |
| Note recovered | Three‑page suicide note |
Student unrest over academic credit and year‑back rules
Following the death, students at MACE launched protests on Sunday, raising concerns about the college’s academic credit system and the “year‑back” policy. Protesters alleged that stringent academic requirements under the college’s implementation of the credit‑based progression system had placed considerable pressure on students.
The issue centres on the credit‑based progression framework followed under APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), also referred to in reports as Kerala Technological University. Under the system, students who fail to obtain the required number of credits can be prevented from progressing to the next stage of their course — a policy commonly described as a year‑back rule. The university has faced student opposition in the past over this provision, the reports noted.
“We have spoken to the college authorities, and they have agreed to withdraw the year‑back system that they had introduced earlier, and they have also agreed to follow the system that the KTU will be following… Once the procedure is over, we have made all the necessary arrangements to take the body back home. Whatever other issues students are raising, we will discuss with students and also with the management and will try to resolve all the issues,”
The remarks above were reported from Roji M John, Kerala Higher Education Minister, as conveyed in the coverage of the incident. The minister said the college authorities had agreed to withdraw the year‑back system they had introduced and to follow the procedure adopted by KTU, and that arrangements had been made to send the body back home.
Official responses and next steps
Reports indicate college authorities and the state higher education department have begun discussions to address the students’ grievances. The minister’s statement suggested an initial administrative response to the protests, including adherence to the university’s prescribed procedures and assurance of further dialogue between students and management.
- Body repatriation: Arrangements were said to be in place to return the deceased student’s body to Arunachal Pradesh.
- Policy change: The college reportedly agreed to withdraw the locally introduced year‑back system and align with KTU regulations.
- Dialogue planned: Officials indicated willingness to discuss other student concerns with management and student representatives.
The available accounts do not include details about any police investigation, forensic findings, or the contents of the recovered three‑page note. No official statement from Mar Athanasius College of Engineering was quoted in the reports accessible at the time of publication.
The death has prompted renewed attention to academic stressors faced by students in credit‑based systems and to college‑level implementation of university rules. Further developments are expected as authorities complete formal procedures and families make arrangements for repatriation.
