IIT Bombay students say protest was about Sahil’s death, not cheating

IIT Bombay student representatives have clarified that their three-day campus protest following the death by suicide of second-year student Sahil Wakode was not intended to defend cheating or academic misconduct, but to raise questions about institutional accountability, student welfare and the circumstances surrounding his death.

In an official statement issued on September 21, the students said they did not condone cheating or any form of academic misconduct. They said Sahil’s death, however, had prompted students to examine the systems and processes within the institute and demand reforms.

The clarification came hours after IIT Bombay removed Professor Suryanarayana Doolla as Dean of Administrative Affairs. The institute said Doolla would continue as a professor while an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death proceeds.

The students also reiterated their demand for an impartial investigation and said the concerns raised by the campus community should remain student-led and rooted within the institute.

Protest focused on systemic concerns, not cheating

Sahil died by suicide on September 18, after an incident during an examination earlier that day. IIT Bombay had initially said he was found using a mobile phone during the exam and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers. The institute said he was counselled after the incident and that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.

His death subsequently triggered protests on campus, with students raising concerns over the institute’s handling of the episode and broader issues involving student welfare, mental-health support, representation and institutional accountability.

In their latest statement, the student representatives sought to separate those concerns from the issue of academic misconduct.

“We do not stand for or condone cheating or any form of academic misconduct,” they said, adding that the protest was a collective effort to highlight “systemic issues” that had existed for some time.

The representatives said students had formulated a set of demands over the past few days and formally placed them before IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare. According to the statement, Kedare acknowledged and signed the demands and agreed to work towards their implementation within specified timelines.

Earlier reports said students had submitted an 18-point charter covering institutional accountability, student representation, mental-health and medical support, and an independent mechanism to examine student distress.

Students clarify position on Professor Doolla

The student representatives also addressed the controversy surrounding Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was the invigilator during the examination in which Sahil was allegedly found with a phone.

The students said their position had never been based on an assumption of Doolla’s guilt and stressed that the investigation should be allowed to proceed fairly.

“With respect to Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, we would like to clarify that our position has never been one of presuming guilt or prejudging the ongoing investigation,” they said.

They added that they stood with Doolla “as a member of our faculty community” and believed the investigation should be fair and impartial.

The students said their demand had been for Doolla to be relieved of his administrative responsibilities as Dean of Administrative Affairs while the investigation was underway. They described the demand as a precautionary measure intended to ensure that the probe remained independent.

IIT Bombay on Monday removed Doolla from the deanship with immediate effect. The institute also apologised for aspects of its earlier communication about Sahil’s death, saying details surrounding the incident remained under investigation.

Sahil’s family alleges caste discrimination

The case has also raised allegations of caste discrimination. Sahil’s parents have alleged that he faced caste-based discrimination and harassment on campus. IIT Bombay, however, said Sahil had not submitted any complaint regarding caste discrimination to its SC-ST cell or the administration.

Based on a complaint filed by Sahil’s father, Mumbai Police registered an FIR naming Doolla 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, according to reports.

The allegations against Doolla remain subject to investigation.

Students seek to keep protest student-led

The representatives also opposed attempts to frame the campus agitation through external political or organisational narratives. They said the concerns arising from Sahil’s death should remain student-led and be addressed within IIT Bombay.

“The loss of Sahil should not become a platform for external political interests, organisations, or narratives to shape the concerns of the IIT Bombay student community,” they said.

The students said the demands had emerged from their experiences on campus and that any reform process should remain rooted in the student community and the institute.

They concluded by saying students remained united in seeking accountability, transparency and institutional reform and would work with IIT Bombay towards what they described as a safer, more accountable and supportive campus.

“IIT Bombay students are strong. IIT Bombay students are united. Student concerns must remain with the students,” the statement said.