IIT Bombay Protests Over Student's Suicide: Director Signs 18 Demands

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay is at the centre of a tense standoff between the administration and protesting students and parents over the death by suicide of 22-year-old Sahil Ravindra Wakode. However, a resolution may be in sight after institute Director Shirish Kedar signed a document containing 18 demands put forward by the protesters. A formal announcement is expected on Monday.

Wakode, a second-year BTech student from Yavatmal, Maharashtra, was found dead in his hostel room on Friday. Hours before his death, he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. The use of unauthorised devices during exams is prohibited under institute rules.

IIT Bombay is one of India's premier engineering institutes, and the incident has drawn national attention, reigniting debates about exam integrity, mental health support, and the treatment of students from marginalised communities in elite institutions.

The incident has sparked strong reactions from both sides. The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has expressed solidarity with the exam invigilator, Suryanarayana Doolla, stating that he was following institutional protocol after discovering the student in "unauthorised possession and use of a smartphone." The forum also expressed grief over Wakode's death and extended condolences to his family.

On the other hand, the protesters and Wakode's family have alleged that he was subjected to institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination on campus, which they claim led to his death by suicide. They have raised the issue of other deaths by suicide in the past under circumstances allegedly linked to casteism. The family has filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, alleging discrimination.

The 18 demands include ensuring student representation in academic committees, an independent investigation into four cases of death by suicide on campus, and mental health workshops for professors, among other things. On Sunday night, the IIT Bombay administration met the protesting students to discuss these demands. Despite the late-night meeting, the protesters have announced they will gather at the IIT Bombay main gate on Monday under the banner of 'India Against Casteism'. Their main slogan: "We are not here to die."

The faculty forum, in its statement, cited the institute's prescribed procedure, under which the professor reported the incident to the authorities concerned for action. It said the student was found carrying and using an unauthorised smartphone during the examination. The professor had only carried out his academic responsibilities and followed the procedure, the forum said, adding that it was concerned about the statements against the professor, which have affected him deeply.

The use of ChatGPT during the examination has also raised questions about the challenges educational institutions face in adapting to new technologies. The incident highlights the pressure on students and the need for robust mental health support systems.

As both sides await the institute's official response to the demands, the situation remains fluid. The administration's announcement on Monday is likely to determine the next course of action for both the institute and the protesters.