IIT Bombay Engages With Protesters on 18-Point Charter Amid Rising Campus Tensions

Tensions are rising at IIT Bombay following the death by suicide of 22-year-old BTech student Sahil Ravindra Wakode, with protesters and the institute administration presenting different accounts of the events leading up to the tragedy.

Wakode, a second-year student from Yavatmal, Maharashtra, was found dead in his hostel room on Friday. This came hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.

The incident has prompted protests on campus, with students and Wakode’s family alleging institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination. These allegations are yet to be established.

18 Demands Put Before IIT Bombay

The IIT Bombay administration met protesting students late on Sunday to discuss their 18-point list of demands. Among the key demands are student representation in academic committees, an independent inquiry into four student suicide cases on campus and mental health workshops for professors.

People familiar with the matter said the institute is expected to issue a formal response to the demands on Monday.

However, the meeting has not ended the protest. Students plan to assemble at the IIT Bombay main gate under the banner of ‘India Against Casteism’. Protesters have also highlighted previous student deaths and raised allegations of caste discrimination.

‘We are not here to die’ is among the slogans being used during the protest.

Faculty Forum Supports Invigilator

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has backed exam invigilator Suryanarayana Doolla, saying he followed the institute’s established procedure after allegedly finding Wakode using an unauthorised smartphone during the examination.

The forum said the professor reported the matter to the appropriate authorities as required under institutional rules and was simply performing his academic duties. It also expressed concern about statements directed at Doolla following the student’s death.

At the same time, the faculty forum conveyed its condolences to Wakode’s family.

Family Files SC/ST Act Case

Wakode’s parents have filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, alleging caste-based discrimination.

The case, along with the protesters’ demands for an independent investigation, has intensified scrutiny of the institute’s handling of student welfare and previous suicide cases. The allegations of harassment and discrimination remain subject to investigation.