IIT-B apologises for suicide statement, clarifies director has not resigned

IIT Bombay has apologised for its earlier statement on student Sahil's suicide, saying the circumstances remain under investigation. The institute has deleted its earlier post on a professor and clarified that Director Shireesh Kedare has not resigned. The developments come amid ongoing campus protests and students' demands for accountability.

In Short

• IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare has not resigned amid controversy
• Institute apologises for earlier statements on student Sahil Wakode's death
• Students submit 18-point charter demanding reforms and independent probe

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has issued an apology over its earlier communication regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of a student, saying that details about the events leading up to the incident remain under investigation by the authorities. Further, the institute has also informed that the director, Prof Shireesh Kedare, has not resigned.

“We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil,” read the tweet.

The tweet also said that the details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain under investigation by the appropriate authorities, and that it was inappropriate to characterise the events preceding his demise before they were established through the investigative process.

IIT BOMBAY's STATEMENT 1

On September 19, IIT Bombay issued a notice regarding the demise of 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode. The notice read:

“A second-year student of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay died by suicide yesterday evening. The Institute expresses its deep and heartfelt condolences to the student's family, kith and kin.

Earlier in the day, during an examination, the student was found using a mobile phone in the exam hall. He had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers.

No disciplinary action was initiated against the student. The matter was also discussed with the student by the instructor, the faculty advisor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.”

DELETED STATEMENT

On September 20, IIT Bombay issued another statement. The September 20 statement read:

“We strongly express our solidarity with our colleague Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla, who was discharging his duties in line with the institute's Senate-approved academic policies currently in force. Prof. Doolla, the course instructor, was invigilating in the mid-semester examination from 11:00 to 13:00 on Friday, September 18, 2026, when he observed that a student was indulging in academic malpractice, viz., unauthorised possession and use of a smartphone during the exam. As part of the institute-approved procedure, he reported the incident to the institute authorities for further action in the matter.”

18 DEMANDS SIGNED BY THE DIRECTOR

IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare has signed an 18-point charter of student demands, addressing the probe into Sahil Wakode’s death, student welfare, disciplinary processes and institutional accountability.

The 18-point charter goes beyond action against the professor involved in the examination incident. Students have sought an independent probe into Sahil Wakode’s death, an open house with senior IIT Bombay officials, an apology over what they described as the public defamation of Sahil, greater student representation in institutional decision-making and financial assistance for families who have lost loved ones at the institute.

The charter also calls for wider reforms in IIT Bombay’s academic, disciplinary and student-welfare systems.

These include a code of conduct for professors, improved handling of disciplinary cases, stronger mental-health and medical support, a 24-hour psychiatrist-on-call service, a task force on student wellbeing, an open portal for student concerns and a written assurance that students participating in the protest will face no disciplinary, hostel, financial or legal action.

- Ends