Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 19: A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination, triggering a protest by hundreds of students on the institute's Powai campus.
The student was identified as 19-year-old Sahil Wakode of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. According to IIT Bombay, Wakode was found using a mobile phone during the examination and had uploaded the question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers.
The institute said no disciplinary action had been initiated against him following the incident. The matter was discussed with him by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
Wakode subsequently returned to his hostel room, where he was later found dead. Powai police have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Police were also collecting statements and examining available evidence as part of the probe.
IIT Bombay expressed deep sorrow over the death and said it was extending support to the student's friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by the incident.
“The circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authorities,” the institute said.
Students stage protest
The incident led to a protest by more than 400 students on the IIT Bombay campus. The protesters demanded greater transparency and accountability from the administration and sought answers regarding the circumstances surrounding Wakode's death.
Students alleged that Wakode had been threatened with disciplinary action, including possible suspension, after the examination incident. They claimed that such action could have required him to leave the hostel and stay outside the campus and potentially affected the duration of his engineering course.
However, these allegations have not been independently established and are at variance with IIT Bombay's statement that no disciplinary action had been initiated and that the student had been assured the incident would not affect his academic career.
The protesters called for accountability, transparency and a review of the institute's disciplinary and examination procedures. Some students also demanded greater student representation in academic and examination-related committees.
The protest continued late into Friday night, with IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare meeting the students. The ongoing mid-semester examinations were subsequently postponed, according to reports.
A senior police officer said the administration was holding discussions with the protesting students to address their demands and maintain the situation on campus.
Third reported campus suicide in six months
The death is the third reported student suicide at the IIT Bombay Powai campus in about six months, according to reports. A second-year student died by suicide in February, while a 20-year-old second-year BTech student died by suicide in July.
The latest incident has renewed concerns among students about the circumstances surrounding student deaths and the institute's handling of academic and disciplinary issues.