IIT Bombay Student's Death: Institute Says No Disciplinary Action, Family Alleges Harassment

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has said that no disciplinary action was initiated against a second-year student who died by suicide after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination. Sahil Wakode, an MSc second-year student in the institute's Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room on the Powai campus on Friday evening.

In an official statement, the institute said the student had uploaded an examination question paper on an artificial intelligence platform to seek answers. It said the matter was subsequently discussed with him by the examination instructor and the Head of the Department.

"IIT Bombay is deeply saddened by the loss of a student. The institute is extending support to the student's family and friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by this tragic incident," the statement said, adding that the circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authorities.

According to the institute, the student was found using a mobile phone in the examination hall. "He had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers," it said.

The institute said the student "was counselled and assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career". It added that he returned to his hostel room after the discussion and was later found dead there.

Reports say a case has been registered by the police on the basis of a complaint filed by the student's father. The student's mother has alleged that he was harassed, and has demanded justice. "My son has been killed. He was subjected to severe harassment. I want justice. I have filed a complaint," she said.

The institute's account and the family's allegations differ. What exactly transpired between the examination and the student's death is now the subject of a police investigation. No findings have been made public so far, and no individual has been named in connection with the case. Until the investigation concludes, the specific claims made by either side remain unverified.

The death has revived a wider conversation about student well-being at India's premier institutions. Over the past several years, deaths by suicide among students at top engineering and medical colleges have drawn public attention, prompting repeated calls for stronger counselling services, better grievance redressal mechanisms and a less punitive approach to academic lapses.

The episode also touches on a question that universities across the country are still grappling with: the use of artificial intelligence tools during examinations. Institutions are revising their rules on what constitutes unfair means, and how suspected cases should be handled, with an emphasis on counselling rather than punishment in the first instance, according to the procedures institutes have outlined.

IIT Bombay said it is providing support to those affected by the incident. The institute has not commented further, citing the ongoing inquiry.

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