IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare has reportedly announced his resignation in a video that has gone viral on social media following student protests on the campus after the death of a second-year student by suicide on Friday evening. In the viral video, Kedare is seen addressing protesting students and saying that he would resign from his post as Director of IIT Bombay.
According to the video, Kedare will resign from his position on September 21 (Monday). The video is timestamped September 19, around 1 am, and appears to have been recorded on the IIT Bombay campus in Powai.
The development comes after a second-year IIT Bombay student, identified as Sahil Wakode, died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was reportedly caught using a mobile phone during an examination. Wakode was pursuing a course in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, the institute said.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
ALSO READ | IIT Bombay Student Dies By Suicide Hours After Being Caught Using ChatGPT During Exam
Wakode was caught using a mobile phone during the examination after he uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers, according to an official statement issued by IIT Bombay and cited by NDTV.
Following his death, more than 400 students staged a protest on the IIT Bombay campus. Some students alleged that the institute's authorities had threatened Wakode with a one-year suspension, which they claimed could have required him to leave the hostel and stay outside the campus, NDTV reported.
The protests have triggered demands for greater transparency and accountability from the institute administration.
ALSO READ | IIT Bombay Student Suicide: Over 400 Protest After Third Campus Death In 7 Months
IIT Bombay, however, said that no disciplinary action had been initiated against Wakode. The institute said the matter had been discussed with him by the examination instructor and the head of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, who counselled him.
Wakode was also assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career, The Indian Express reported.
In its statement, IIT Bombay said that the circumstances surrounding the student's death were being "looked into" by the authorities.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
