Second-year Energy Science and Engineering student Sahil Wakode was found dead in his hostel room hours after being caught using a phone during an examination
A second-year IIT Bombay student died by suicide after being caught using a mobile phone during an exam. The institute said no disciplinary action was initiated against him.
Mumbai: A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination, according to the institute and police. The student was identified as Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a student of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.
According to IIT Bombay, Wakode had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT through his mobile phone to seek answers during the examination. He was subsequently found using the phone in the examination hall.
IIT Bombay Says No Disciplinary Action Was Taken
The institute said the matter was discussed with Wakode by the instructor and the Head of the Department.
According to the institute's statement, the student was counselled and assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. IIT Bombay said that no disciplinary action was initiated against him following the examination incident.
The student later returned to his hostel room. He was found dead there later in the evening.
Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are recording statements from students, faculty members and others as part of the investigation. Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding his death.
Students Stage Protest on Campus
The student's death triggered protests at the IIT Bombay campus. More than 400 students reportedly gathered, demanding a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death and greater attention to student welfare and mental-health concerns.
Some protesting students have given an account that differs from the institute's statement, alleging that Wakode faced the possibility of suspension after the examination incident. The institute has denied that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him. These competing accounts are now part of the wider questions being examined following the death.
The ongoing mid-semester examinations were also postponed following the incident, according to reports from the campus.
Third Reported Student Death at IIT Bombay in Seven Months
The incident has also renewed concern about student welfare at the Powai campus. Reports have described it as the third reported student suicide at IIT Bombay in the past seven months.
IIT Bombay has expressed grief over Wakode's death and said it is extending support to his friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by the incident. Police and other authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.
