Archive · 23 Sep 2026
IIT Faculty Forums Rally Behind Professor Removed After Student Suicide
Several faculty groups are supporting Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.
He worked at IIT Bombay and was removed from his dean position.
He was supervising a test when a student named Sahil Wakode was allegedly found with a phone.
The article says Wakode was also using ChatGPT during the test.
Later that day, Wakode died by suicide.
Faculty groups said Doolla was doing his regular job as teacher and invigilator.
Faculty forums at IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Indore have expressed support.
They also said they were worried about what happened after the student’s death.
Faculty forums at IIT Kanpur and IIT Indore supported Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.
Doolla was removed as Dean of Administrative Affairs at IIT Bombay.
He was invigilating a test hall where student Sahil Wakode was present.
Doolla allegedly caught Wakode using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during the test.
Wakode died by suicide later that day, prompting concern among faculty forums.
- Who
- Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, student Sahil Wakode, and faculty forums at several Indian Institutes of Technology.
- What
- Faculty forums supported Doolla after he was removed as IIT Bombay’s Dean of Administrative Affairs following a student’s suicide.
- When
- Wakode died later on the day of the test; the faculty statements followed the incident.
- Where
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
- Why
- Faculty forums said Doolla was carrying out his duties as course instructor and invigilator when he allegedly caught Wakode using a phone and ChatGPT.
Faculty Forums’ View
Institutional Action
Doolla’s conduct and removal
Faculty Forums’ View
Faculty forums said Doolla was discharging his duties as the course instructor and invigilator and expressed alarm about events following the student’s death.
Institutional Action
IIT Bombay removed Doolla from the post of Dean of Administrative Affairs following the student’s suicide; the article does not state the institute’s explanation for the removal.
- Professor
- Suryanarayana Doolla
- Institution
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Former position
- Dean of Administrative Affairs
- Student
- Sahil Wakode
- Reported test violation
- Alleged use of a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a test
- Faculty support
- Forums at IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Indore supported Doolla