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IIT-B Alumnus Defends Prof Doolla Amid Student Death Case, Calls Out 'Reverse Casteism'
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News18•22-09-2026, 15:58
IIT-B Alumnus Defends Prof Doolla Amid Student Death Case, Calls Out 'Reverse Casteism'
- •An IIT-Bombay alumnus, Sudheendra Kulkarni, has called for the withdrawal of the SC/ST Act case against Professor Doolla, arguing it's wrong to automatically blame upper castes for student suicides.
- •Professor Doolla, dean of administrative affairs, was suspended after a second-year BTech student's death; Doolla was the invigilator when the student was caught cheating.
- •IIT-Bombay stated the student used a mobile phone and ChatGPT during the exam, and faculty members assert Doolla followed established procedures.
- •Kulkarni advocates for reforms to the SC/ST Act, deeming it 'defective,' and stresses that no action should be taken against Doolla without a guilty finding.
- •He also urged reforms to address student stress and defended IIT faculty, highlighting their existing pressures and the potential negative impact of punishing conscientious teachers.
Key Questions Answered
Professor Suryanarayana Doolla was suspended following student protests over the death of BTech student Sahil Wakode, after an FIR alleged abetment to suicide and caste discrimination.
Hours before his death, the student was caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination to upload the question paper onto ChatGPT for answers, with Professor Doolla acting as the invigilator.
Alumnus Sudheendra Kulkarni called for the withdrawal of the SC/ST Act case against Professor Doolla, arguing that he was merely following Senate-approved exam procedures and that guilt should not be automatically assumed.
