Individuals with autism are often marginalised and become subjects of bullying because of “perceived oddities in behaviour” and “apparent naivety”, said psychiatrists.

In higher education as well as among educated people, “lack of fairness and stigma is rampant”, said more than one psychiatrist.

A third-year PhD scholar at IISER Kolkata, Anamitra Roy, died in what appears to be a suicide, after accusing another scholar of bullying him for his autism and alleging that
his supervisor not only remained silent but also indulged his tormentor.

Roy, 25, is believed to have taken an overdose of his own neurological medicines on Thursday night and died at AIIMS Kalyani on Friday morning.

Most of this kind of apathetic behaviour towards neurodivergent people stems from a lack of awareness and understanding.

“Institutes are going wrong simply by not knowing about this condition. But ignorance cannot be pardoned. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 31 children aged eight years has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder currently in the world,” said psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram.

After Roy was diagnosed, Ram said, attempts could have been to know more about him instead of bullying him.

Bullying in higher educational institutes varies in type and extent, said doctors and also those who face bullying. It can be subtle and insensitive.

“Building ramps for people with disabilities is not enough. There has to be more sensitivity and recognition of their social needs,” said Manjit Kumar Ram, a PhD research scholar at Jadavpur University, who is visually challenged.

He is a member of the university’s Forum for Students with Disabilities.

Psychiatrist Sanjay Garg said the number of cases of bullying was more in higher education compared to schools.

“In higher institutes, there is much more rigidity — whether it is the faculties, the institute or the peer group — as opposed to schools where children can still be moulded,” said Garg.

He said this happens because a higher educational institute is “more competitive, and peer group camaraderie is missing”.

Bullying can be subtle and indirect, where a neurodivergent individual is ignored like if they are absent in class, other students do not share notes with them.

A first-year undergraduate student with autism in an educational institute was failing to complete assignments on time.

A doctor’s certificate that the student needed support was not enough. The institute was dismissive. The student as well as the parents were told that if they had reached so far, they were expected to cope with the academic rigour, said a psychiatrist.

Indrani Basu of the Autism Society West Bengal said it is the apparent naivety of such individuals that makes them more vulnerable to bullying.

“When they are going to a higher educational institute, they know their subject well, but they are apparently naive, and that becomes their weakness,” said Basu.

Suicidal thoughts and tendencies are more common among them compared to people without disabilities, said doctors and those working in the disability sector.

“Suicide attempts and suicide is more common among the neurodivergent compared to the neurotypical,” said Ram.