A 20‑year‑old Dalit student, Sahil Wakode, a second‑year B.Tech student at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, died by suicide in his hostel room on 18 September. His parents allege that he faced caste‑based discrimination and have filed an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Mumbai Crime Branch is continuing its investigation. Initially, the institute said Wakode had been apprehended for cheating during an examination; it later issued an apology, admitting that it was inappropriate to publicise details before a proper inquiry.
In response to the tragedy, students drafted an 18‑point charter demanding accountability and reforms. The demands include an independent investigation, an apology for defamation, a code of conduct for faculty, student representation on academic and non‑academic committees, a task force for student well‑being, improved handling of malpractice cases, in‑person counselling, a psychiatrist on call, mental‑health sensitisation, a dedicated dean‑student interaction portal, and a counsellor for every 250 students. They also seek independent audits of the Student Wellness Centre and a counsellor in every hostel.
IIT‑Bombay’s director, Shireesh Kedare, signed the memorandum and appointed a 10‑member committee to probe the circumstances of Wakode’s death. The institute issued a formal apology and suspended Prof. Satyanarayan Doolla, the Dean of Administrative Affairs. Despite these steps, some students continue to protest, labeling the apology a joke and demanding the resignation of the director and Prof. Doolla, citing four suicides during his tenure.
The faculty remains divided. Some members question whether the institute followed due process in handling the alleged exam malpractice and whether a fresh answer sheet was provided. The IIT‑Bombay Faculty Forum issued a statement supporting Prof. Doolla, while other faculty members distanced themselves from the forum, noting that the case is still under investigation.
A recent interim report by the National Task Force on the mental health of students highlighted that 13,600 disadvantaged students dropped out of India’s premier institutions between 2018 and 2023. Among them, 4,596 were OBC, 2,424 SC and 2,622 ST students; at the IITs, 2,066 OBC, 1,068 SC and 408 ST students left. The report suggests that academic or other stressors, despite financial support measures, contribute to these withdrawals. For students in distress, counselling is available at Tele MANAS 14416.
