Archive · 24 Sep 2026
IIT Bombay Anti-Discrimination Guidelines Resurface After Email Circulation
An email shared online has brought attention back to rules at IIT Bombay.
The rules were created in 2023 after student Darshan Solanki died.
His family said he may have faced caste discrimination.
The rules tell students not to ask about someone’s caste or admission category.
They also discourage questions about exam ranks or scores that might reveal a student’s social background.
Abusive, hateful, casteist and sexist messages and jokes are prohibited.
The rules apply to conversations in person and messages sent through platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and email.
People who break the rules could face serious punishment.
IIT Bombay has not yet said whether the circulating email is genuine or a new reminder.
An email circulating on social media has revived attention to IIT Bombay’s 2023 anti-discrimination guidelines.
The guidelines were issued after the February 2023 death of first-year BTech student Darshan Solanki.
Solanki’s family alleged that he faced caste discrimination on campus.
The rules discourage questions about caste, admission category, exam ranks and other details that could reveal social background.
IIT Bombay has not confirmed the circulating email’s authenticity, timing or whether it restates the 2023 guidelines.
- Who
- IIT Bombay, its students and officials; the guidelines were issued by then-Dean of Student Affairs Professor Suryanarayana Doolla after the death of student Darshan Solanki.
- What
- A circulating email has renewed attention to IIT Bombay’s 2023 anti-discrimination guidelines, but the institute has not confirmed the email’s details.
- When
- The guidelines were first circulated on July 31, 2023; Solanki died in February 2023. The timing of the current email is unconfirmed.
- Where
- IIT Bombay and social media platforms where the email is circulating.
- Why
- The guidelines were issued after Solanki’s death and allegations from his family that he faced caste discrimination on campus.
- Guidelines issued
- July 31, 2023
- Trigger for renewed attention
- An email circulating on social media
- Student mentioned
- Darshan Solanki, a first-year BTech student who died in February 2023
- Restricted questions
- Questions about caste, admission category, JEE Advanced ranks, GATE scores or similar details
- Prohibited conduct
- Abusive, hateful, casteist or sexist messages and jokes, including harassment and bullying
- Potential consequence
- Violations can lead to severe punishment
- Institute confirmation
- IIT Bombay has not confirmed the email’s authenticity, timing or purpose