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IIT Bombay Proposes New Cheating Rules Giving Students A Fair Hearing
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News18•07-10-2026, 13:27
IIT Bombay Proposes New Cheating Rules Giving Students A Fair Hearing
- •IIT Bombay has drafted new guidelines for handling examination malpractice following the death of BTech student Sahil Wakode.
- •Under the proposed rules, students accused of cheating will receive an opportunity to present their side before any disciplinary action is initiated.
- •The policy changes follow student protests and campus controversy over previous disciplinary procedures.
- •Sahil Wakode was earlier accused of using a smartphone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester exam before he was found dead in his hostel room.
- •The Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the case and has recorded statements from around 60 individuals, including professor Suryanarayan Doolla.
Key Questions Answered
IIT Bombay has prepared a draft of new rules for handling examination cheating cases, proposing that students accused of malpractice be given an opportunity to present their side before any disciplinary action is initiated.
Wakode's family members and students alleged caste-based discrimination and harassment by professor and invigilator Suryanarayan Doolla in connection with the incident, though these allegations have not been established and the faculty forum expressed support for Doolla.
Professor Doolla told the Mumbai Crime Branch investigators that he saw Wakode copying from his mobile phone during an examination and attempting to hide it, after which he handed Wakode his paper and asked him to leave the hall.
