After 3 suicides in 7 months, IIT Bombay students demand director's resignation

The death of second-year student Sahil Wakode has triggered protests on the IIT Bombay campus. This is the third suicide at the institute in the last seven months. Students are now demanding accountability and clarity over what happened after an exam incident.

In Short

• Wakode was from Energy Science and Engineering at the Powai campus
• Institute said he used a phone and uploaded questions to ChatGPT
• IIT Bombay said faculty counselled him and no action had begun

A second-year student of IIT Bombay, Sahil Wakode, died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was caught using a mobile phone during an examination. The incident triggered a protest by hundreds of students on the Powai campus, with students demanding answers from the administration.

Wakode was a student of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. According to IIT Bombay, he was found using his phone during the exam and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.

THREE IIT BOMBAY DEATHS IN SEVEN MONTHS

Wakode's death is the third reported student suicide at IIT Bombay in about seven months.

In February, 21-year-old BTech Civil Engineering student Naman Agarwal died after falling from the terrace of Hostel 4. India Today reported that police had registered an Accidental Death Report and that no suicide note was found.

In July, Sohil Rajkumar Sangwan, a 20-year-old second-year Material Science student, was found dead in his hostel room. Police were investigating the circumstances and said preliminary findings pointed to family-related and personal relationship issues.

The latest case involves Wakode, a second-year student of Energy Science and Engineering.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE EXAM?

IIT Bombay said the student was counselled by the instructor and Head of Department after the incident. The institute said he was assured that the matter would not adversely affect his academic career and that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.

Wakode later returned to his hostel room, where he was found dead that evening.

STUDENTS QUESTION INSTITUTE’S ACCOUNT

More than 400 students gathered on campus after the death, questioning the administration’s handling of the incident and demanding greater transparency.

Some protesting students alleged that Wakode had been threatened with a possible one-year suspension. They claimed such action could have affected his hostel stay and delayed his studies. These allegations have not been independently established, and they contradict the institute’s statement that no disciplinary action had been initiated.

Students also raised wider concerns about academic pressure, student welfare and the way disciplinary matters are handled on campus.

DIRECTOR MEETS PROTESTING STUDENTS

The protesters sought accountability from IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare and called for a transparent examination of the circumstances surrounding the death.

The protest also led to the postponement of ongoing mid-semester examinations, according to reports.

Mumbai Police are examining the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death, while the institute has said it is extending support to students and others affected by the incident.

- Ends