Caught using ChatGPT in exam, IIT Bombay student found dead

The incident marks the third reported suicide at the IIT Powai campus in the past six months.

Mumbai: An Accident Death Report (ADR) has been filed in connection with the case linked to the death of a second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, officials said on Saturday, September 19.

The student was found dead in the IIT Powai campus on Friday evening. This reportedly happened after he was caught using a mobile phone during an examination.

The deceased student was identified as Sahil Wakode, a resident of Maharashtra’s Yavatmal who was pursuing his second year in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

According to the institute, Wakode had uploaded an examination question paper to ChatGPT in an attempt to obtain answers while the test was underway.

His death triggered protests by students on the institute’s Powai campus. The incident marks the third reported suicide at the IIT Powai campus in the past six months.

Officials said that his family was informed and has arrived in Mumbai. Their statements are being recorded.

Additionally, police are recording the statements of the students at the campus.

The body of the deceased has been sent for post-mortem.

IIT Bombay denies initiating disciplinary proceedings

IIT Bombay said no disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against him following the incident. The matter was discussed with the student by the examination instructor and the Head of the Department.

They counselled him and assured him that the incident would not have an adverse impact on his academic career, the institute said.

After the discussion, Wakode returned to his hostel room. He was subsequently found dead in the room later that evening.

In a statement, IIT Bombay expressed grief over the student’s death and said it was providing support to those affected by the incident.

“The Institute is extending support to the student’s friends, classmates, faculty members, and others affected by this tragic incident,” it said, adding that the circumstances surrounding the death were being examined by the appropriate authorities.

Protests erupt at campus

Following the incident, a group of students gathered on the campus and launched a protest, alleging that the administration had not disclosed all details surrounding the circumstances of the student’s death.

Some protesters claimed that Wakode had been threatened with a one-year suspension over the examination incident. They alleged that such a suspension could have required him to leave the hostel and stay outside the campus.

Students further claimed that disciplinary action of this nature could potentially have delayed completion of his engineering course beyond the standard four-year duration.

Protesting students alleged that the fear and pressure associated with possible disciplinary consequences may have played a role in the student’s death. However, these allegations have not been independently verified.

Another student claimed that several such incidents had occurred on campus this year and questioned whether sufficient steps were being taken to understand their causes.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers on the campus following the protest.

An investigation is underway, and further details are awaited.