Stories
IIT-Bombay Student's Friend Dismisses Casteism, Cites Cheating Incident Before Death
- •A friend of IIT-Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode stated he was "normal" days before his death and doesn't believe casteism was a factor.
- •Wakode was found dead after allegedly being caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester exam.
- •His friend recalled Wakode being taken out of the exam room by a professor after being "caught cheating."
- •Wakode's family alleges institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination, filing a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- •The incident sparked protests at IIT-Bombay, leading to 18 student demands and an apology from the institute regarding earlier communications.
Key Questions Answered
Student protests broke out following the death of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode, who was found dead in his hostel room on Friday after being caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. His family alleged caste-based discrimination and institutional harassment, prompting students to put forward an 18-point charter of demands.
Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla, the exam invigilator who caught Sahil Wakode using a smartphone, was removed as dean of students welfare and later suspended following sustained student protests. An FIR was also registered against him based on a complaint filed by Wakode's parents, and the investigation was handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Protesting students raised 18 key demands including student representation in academic committees, mental health workshops for professors, and an independent investigation into four cases of campus deaths by suicide.
