Archive · 21 Sep 2026
IIT Bombay Student Death Highlights Need for Integrity and Care
A 20-year-old student at IIT Bombay, Sahil Wakode, died in circumstances that are still being investigated.
The article says people should not decide too quickly what caused his death.
A professor, Suryanarayana Doolla, reportedly found a student using a smartphone during an exam and reported it according to institute rules.
Some faculty members support the professor and say he was doing his job.
The article also says students who are caught breaking exam rules may feel frightened or deeply embarrassed.
Because of this, schools should protect fair exams while also checking on students’ mental health.
It warns that tools such as ChatGPT can make cheating easier.
The article recommends sending students in crisis to campus counselors or wellness officers immediately after an incident.
Twenty-year-old IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode died under circumstances that the article says require an impartial and transparent investigation.
The Faculty Forum said Professor Suryanarayana Doolla followed institute procedures after allegedly finding a student using an unauthorized smartphone during a mid-semester examination.
The incident has prompted debate over how academic misconduct should be addressed while protecting students facing acute distress.
The article warns that unauthorized use of generative artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT, threatens examination fairness.
It calls for mandatory crisis intervention, including escorting students involved in academic infractions to campus wellness or counseling officers.
- Who
- IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum, and other institutional stakeholders.
- What
- The death of Sahil Wakode has prompted calls for an investigation and debate over examination discipline, academic integrity, and student care.
- When
- The article refers to an examination held from 11:00 to 13:00 on Friday, 18 September 2026, and to statements made on 18 September.
- Where
- IIT Bombay.
- Why
- The article says the circumstances of the death require investigation and argues that academic misconduct procedures should be paired with immediate mental-health support.
Campus Care and Accountability
Academic Integrity and Procedure
How to respond to suspected misconduct
Campus Care and Accountability
Students caught in an infraction should receive immediate support, particularly if they appear panicked, distressed, or embarrassed, rather than being sent alone to a hostel room.
Academic Integrity and Procedure
Invigilators must enforce examination rules and report suspected malpractice through established institutional procedures.
Interpretation of the professor’s role
Campus Care and Accountability
The circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death require a thorough, impartial investigation, and the institution should examine whether stronger safeguards were needed after the incident.
Academic Integrity and Procedure
The Faculty Forum said Doolla was merely performing his academic duties and following Senate-approved policies after observing unauthorized smartphone use.
Use of technology in examinations
Campus Care and Accountability
The growing availability of generative artificial intelligence makes stronger student support and carefully designed responses increasingly important.
Academic Integrity and Procedure
Unauthorized use of tools such as ChatGPT undermines fairness for students who prepare honestly and requires decisive protection of examination standards.
- Student
- Sahil Wakode, aged 20
- Institution
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Exam incident
- The Faculty Forum said an unauthorized smartphone was found during a mid-semester examination.
- Invigilator
- Professor Suryanarayana Doolla
- Exam timing
- 11:00 to 13:00 on Friday, 18 September 2026
- Faculty position
- The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum expressed solidarity with Doolla and said institute-approved procedures were followed.
- Proposed safeguard
- Mandatory de-escalation and immediate referral to campus wellness or counseling officers.