Archive · 12 Oct 2026
Wakode Case: Exam Penalty, Caste Violence, and Due Process
Sahil Wakode was a student at IIT Bombay who was reported dead in his hostel room.
The article says he had allegedly been caught using ChatGPT on his phone during an exam shortly beforehand.
His parents accused a professor under a law that addresses atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The case was sent to the Mumbai Crime Branch, and an IIT Bombay dean was suspended while inquiries continued.
The writer says those steps do not, by themselves, prove that caste discrimination happened.
The writer argues that investigators need to look for evidence, such as different treatment or discriminatory remarks.
The article also says student suicides and campus discrimination are serious wider concerns.
It asks people to wait for the investigation before deciding what happened in this case.
Sahil Wakode, an IIT Bombay student, was reported dead in his hostel room on September 18, hours after allegedly being caught using ChatGPT on his phone during an exam.
His parents filed a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against a professor; the case was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
IIT Bombay suspended its dean during an inquiry, which the article says should not be treated as proof of guilt.
The subscriber-written article argues that determining whether caste discrimination occurred requires evidence such as differential treatment, discriminatory remarks, or a documented pattern.
It also cites wider concerns about student suicides and campus discrimination, while urging that conclusions about Wakode’s case wait for the investigation.
- Who
- Sahil Wakode, an IIT Bombay student; his parents filed a case against a professor.
- What
- Wakode was reported dead, and the circumstances prompted a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and an investigation.
- When
- September 18; the year is not specified in the article.
- Where
- IIT Bombay, Mumbai.
- Why
- The article says he was allegedly caught using ChatGPT on his phone during an exam shortly before his death; the circumstances and any alleged discrimination remain under investigation.
Family’s allegation
Article’s call for evidentiary caution
Whether caste discrimination occurred
Family’s allegation
Wakode’s parents filed a case against a professor under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, raising an allegation that requires investigation.
Article’s call for evidentiary caution
The article argues that the exam penalty alone does not establish caste discrimination; evidence such as unequal treatment, discriminatory remarks, or a documented pattern would be needed.
Meaning of the dean’s suspension
Family’s allegation
The suspension has been interpreted by some as an indication that the institution may have mishandled the matter.
Article’s call for evidentiary caution
The article says suspension during an inquiry can be precautionary and should not be treated as a judgment or admission of guilt.
- Student
- Sahil Wakode
- Institution
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Reported date of death
- September 18; no year specified
- Exam allegation
- He was allegedly caught using ChatGPT on his phone during an exam.
- Legal action
- His parents filed a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against a professor.
- Investigation
- The case was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
- Wider figures cited
- The article says an RTI response showed 65 student suicides across the IITs between 2021 and 2025.