IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla, suspended over student’s death case

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Mumbai: IIT Bombay professor and examination invigilator Suryanarayana Doolla was suspended from deanship following protests on the campus over the death of a second-year BTech student.

The development came days after protests on the IIT Bombay campus over the death by suicide of second-year student Sahil Wakode who allegedly been caught using a mobile phone and seeking answers from ChatGPT.

The development followed a complaint filed by the deceased student’s father, who levelled serious allegations against authorities at the institute. Based on the complaint, Mumbai Police registered an FIR against IIT Bombay professor and examination invigilator Suryanarayana Doolla.

The suspension came after IIT-Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare met protesting students sitting outside the campus gate and signed an 18-point charter of demands that included action against Doolla.

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Amid the allegations, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum expressed solidarity with Professor Doolla and defended his conduct during the examination. The forum said he was performing his responsibilities in accordance with institutional rules after noticing that the student was allegedly in “unauthorised possession and use of a smartphone.”

“We strongly express our solidarity with our colleague Prof Suryanarayana Doolla, who was discharging his duties in line with the institute’s Senate-approved academic policies currently in force,” the forum said in a statement, while also conveying its deepest condolences to the student’s family.

IIT Bombay had earlier stated that the deceased student belonged to the Department of Energy Science and Engineering and was found using a mobile phone inside the examination hall. According to the institute, the student had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT in an attempt to obtain answers. IIT Bombay said that no disciplinary action had been initiated against the student.

The Faculty Forum said Professor Doolla, who was the course instructor, was invigilating the mid-semester examination from 11 am to 1 pm on September 18 when he noticed the student using a smartphone without authorisation. The forum described the incident as “academic malpractice.”

Also Read: IIT Bombay Student Death: Crime Branch Takes Over Probe After Family’s Complaint

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