Mumbai: Student representatives at IIT-Bombay on Monday issued a statement on the death of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode and explained why they wanted Prof Suryanarayana Doolla relieved of his duties as dean of administrative affairs.
Following protests over the suicide on the Powai campus, the student body clarified it did not condone cheating in any manner, but said the sequence of events leading to Wakode’s death compelled them to reflect on wider institutional practices.
“The protest initiated by students was not intended to justify academic misconduct. It was a collective effort to raise concerns about systemic issues that have existed for some time and to seek meaningful and strong institutional reforms so that no student has to face circumstances of this nature again…,” the student representatives said, according to a statement shared by news agency ANI.
Relief Sought As ‘Precautionary Measure’
While Doolla was temporarily relieved of his administrative role on Monday, student leaders said they stood with him as a “member of our faculty community” and were not pre-judging the investigation, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“Our demand was that he be relieved of his administrative duties as Dean of Administrative Affairs during the pendency of the investigation, as a precautionary measure to ensure that the investigation remains completely independent and cannot be influenced in any manner,” the statement read.
The representatives added that concerns arising from Wakode’s death must be addressed within the institute and should not become a platform “for external political interests, organisations, or narratives”.
Exam Incident And Death
Wakode, a second-year undergraduate in Energy Science and Engineering, died by suicide hours after being caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester exam on Friday. Doolla, the invigilator who caught him, has been charged with abetment to suicide and alleged caste-based discrimination.
The institute said the student had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers, but maintained that “no disciplinary action was initiated against the student”. Students, however, claimed officials told him he could face disciplinary action, including suspension.
Family Seeks CBI Probe; 18-Point Charter
Amid the uproar, protesters met IIT-B director Prof Shireesh Kedare on Sunday and handed over a charter of 18 demands, with Doolla’s removal from administrative duties among the key asks.
According to ANI, Wakode’s family has demanded a CBI inquiry into his alleged suicide, seeking a thorough probe into the circumstances and action against those found responsible.
