A second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay, Sahil Wakode, died by suicide on September 18 after an incident during an examination in which institute officials said he was found using a mobile phone and had uploaded the examination paper to ChatGPT to seek answers. The death triggered a substantial student protest on campus on September 19.
According to IIT Bombay’s official account, the student was spoken to by the instructor and Head of Department, counselled and assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. The institute has stated that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him before his death.
Students, however, have made different allegations about what happened. Some protesters said they believed he had been threatened with suspension and questioned whether the institute had handled the situation appropriately. These allegations have not been established, and they differ from the institute’s statement.
The incident has developed into a broader campus discussion about student welfare, disciplinary procedures, mental-health support and student representation. The Indian Express reported that students raised these issues during an open-house meeting with the institute director.
NDTV reported that more than 400 students participated in the protest and that this was the third student suicide at IIT Bombay within seven months, according to its report.
The administration has said that the circumstances surrounding the death are being examined and that it will constitute a committee to look into the incident as well as broader concerns raised by students.
The story has rapidly moved beyond an individual campus incident because it intersects with questions about academic pressure, use of AI in examinations, disciplinary procedures and student welfare at India’s premier educational institutions.
