IIT Bombay has postponed its mid‑semester examinations to October 10‑11 after the death of second‑year student Sahil Wakode. The exams, originally scheduled for September 26‑27, will follow the same timetable as before.
Classes resumed at the Powai campus on Wednesday, days after protests erupted following the reported suicide of Wakode. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, called the student’s family and pledged support for their pursuit of justice, according to the Maharashtra Congress.
The family has accused IIT Bombay officials of misconduct, and the Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the case. The police have stated that the inquiry is being conducted impartially and urged the public not to spread misinformation. IIT professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been named in connection with the death, was placed on leave amid the investigation, and the student’s parents have demanded his immediate arrest.
Wakode, a second‑year B.Tech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid‑semester exam. A case has been registered against Doolla on charges including abetment to suicide and caste‑based discrimination. The Youth Congress will hold a press conference later in the week to discuss the matter and outline its next steps.
