Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 22: Students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have called for reforms in the institute's student welfare system and stronger mental health support following the death by suicide of 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode, while some students have opposed what they described as the targeting of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.
Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room on the Powai campus on September 18, hours after an incident during a mid-semester examination involving alleged mobile phone use and access to ChatGPT.
The death triggered protests on the IIT Bombay campus, with students raising concerns over institutional procedures, academic pressure, student representation and mental health support.
Student representatives later clarified that their protests were not intended to justify cheating or academic misconduct. They said the incident had prompted students to examine broader systemic issues at the institute and had formulated demands covering student welfare, mental health and medical support, institutional accountability and student representation.
One student said students were broadly united in demanding improvements to the wellness cell, psychiatric support and other welfare mechanisms, as well as greater participation of students in decisions affecting them.
However, students remain divided over the allegations involving Prof Doolla, who was the invigilator during the examination in which Wakode was allegedly found with a mobile phone.
Some students told the media that they did not believe caste discrimination was a factor in the incident and said targeting Doolla before completion of the investigation was inappropriate. One student said the removal of Doolla from the post of Dean of Administrative Affairs was wrong and that he had been carrying out his duties.
Other students, however, alleged that measures taken during Doolla's earlier tenure in student affairs, including suspensions and removal of students from hostels, had created a sense of fear on campus. They claimed that some disciplinary actions were taken for what they considered minor reasons.
The allegations of caste discrimination have been made by Wakode's family and remain under investigation. His father, Ravindra Wakode, has alleged that his son was subjected to caste-based mocking, harassment and discrimination and has sought a probe into the role of the IIT Bombay administration. Police have registered a case based on the family's complaint under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to abetment of suicide, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation.
IIT Bombay has removed Doolla from his position as Dean of Administrative Affairs with immediate effect. He continues to remain a faculty member at the institute. The move was described by student representatives as a precautionary step to allow an independent investigation, rather than a finding of guilt.
The institute also apologised for its earlier communication about the circumstances preceding Wakode's death. It said it was inappropriate to characterise details before they had been established through the appropriate investigative process and retracted its earlier assertion that the student had been caught cheating and had faced no disciplinary action.
The developments have also led to a divide between students and faculty over Doolla's removal. The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum held a march on campus in his support and said he had followed the Senate-approved examination procedure while reporting the alleged phone use. The forum said Doolla remained a faculty member and called for an independent and unbiased investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wakode's death.
Faculty groups from other IITs have also expressed support for Doolla, while protesting students have demanded that he be removed from his faculty position pending the investigation.
Students have also pointed to academic pressure as a concern. Some said the demanding nature of engineering courses can contribute to stress and called for stronger systems to identify and support students facing difficulties.
Student representatives have urged that the concerns arising from Wakode's death remain student-led and not be shaped by outside political or organisational interests. They have sought accountability, transparency and reforms in the institute's welfare mechanisms.
Security has been increased around the IIT Bombay campus amid continuing protests and heightened tensions over the case. The investigation into Wakode's death and the allegations against Doolla is ongoing.