More than 400 students staged a protest at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay after a second-year student died by suicide on Friday, hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination. The incident has triggered demands for greater transparency and accountability from the institute administration.
The student was identified as Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. Police said he was found dead in his hostel room on the IIT Bombay campus.
According to an official statement from IIT Bombay, Wakode had been found using a mobile phone inside the examination hall earlier that day. The institute said he had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.
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More than 400 students subsequently staged a protest on the IIT Bombay campus over Wakode's death. Some students alleged that the institute's authorities had threatened Wakode with a one-year suspension, which they said could have required him to leave the hostel and stay outside the campus, NDTV reported.
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 a statement, IIT Bombay said that the circumstances surrounding the student's death were being "looked into" by the authorities.
"IIT Bombay is deeply saddened by the loss of a student. The Institute is extending support to the student's friends, classmates, faculty members, and others affected by this tragic incident," it said.
The protesting students, however, alleged that the administration had not disclosed all details surrounding the circumstances of Wakode's death. One student said that several such incidents had occurred on campus this year and questioned whether sufficient steps were being taken to understand their causes. Another demanded action and accountability from the administration.
"I am a 3rd-year undergraduate student in the Electrical branch at IIT Bombay. We are protesting today because a suicide occurred at our college. We have come out to demand accountability and transparency from the administration. This isn't the first incident. There have been many this year, with two occurring in just the last two months. We are completely in the dark about why this is happening or what the underlying reasons are," the student said, as reported by NDTV.
He added, "We simply want the Dean, the Director, and the administration to provide a report assuring us that they will look into the matter, ensure accountability and transparency, and guarantee that such incidents do not happen again on their watch."
The protest continued into Friday night, with IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare meeting the students at around 10:30 pm. The gathering was subsequently shifted to the institute's Convocation Hall. The ongoing mid-semester examinations were also postponed following the incident, the Indian Express reported.
The protest continued into Saturday morning, with students seeking further communication from the administration. Hindustan Times reported that more than 100 students again gathered at the institute's main gate, where Wakode's parents also joined them.
Wakode's parents demanded an explanation from IIT Bombay. Speaking during the protest, one of his parents described him as their only child and said the family wanted answers before leaving the campus.
Powai police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the student's death. They have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). Reports said that no suicide note was recovered from the scene.
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Wakode's death has been reported as the third student suicide at IIT Bombay's Powai campus in seven months. NDTV reported that a second-year student died by suicide in February, while another 20-year-old second-year BTech student died by suicide in July.
Wakode's death has consequently renewed concerns among students about mental health support and the institute's response to student deaths. During his interaction with the students, Director Shireesh Kedare said that the institute would increase its focus on mental health. He also stated, as cited by Hindustan Times, that IIT Bombay currently has eight psychologists working as consultants on campus.
The investigation into Wakode's death remains underway, while students continue to demand answers and greater transparency from the institute.
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