Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on Monday, September 21, apologised for its earlier statement about the circumstances surrounding the death of 20-year-old BTech student Sahil Ravindra Wakode, saying those details should not have been characterised before an investigation established them.
The institute also clarified that its Director, Professor Shireesh B Kedare, has not resigned, contrary to reports circulating after he told protesting students that he would resign after following due process. The clarification follows three days of campus protests demanding accountability, an independent probe and reforms to student welfare and grievance mechanisms.
Meanwhile, IIT Bombay has suspended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his administrative post amid the ongoing controversy. Wakode’s family has alleged caste-based discrimination and harassment, while IIT Bombay has denied the allegation. Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide and invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; the investigation has been transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Apology After Campus Uproar
IIT Bombay’s latest statement marks a significant change from its earlier communication issued after Wakode’s death on September 18. The institute had previously stated that Wakode was found using a mobile phone during an examination and had uploaded the question paper to an AI platform to seek answers.
It had also said that no disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against him and that the student had been counselled by the instructor, faculty adviser and Head of Department. Students objected to the public disclosure of these details, arguing that the deceased student could no longer respond to the allegations.
In its Monday clarification, the institute said it was inappropriate to characterise the circumstances preceding Wakode’s death before they had been established through an investigation and expressed regret over the earlier communication.
The institute has simultaneously rejected reports that Director Shireesh Kedare has stepped down. The confusion followed a three-hour meeting between Kedare and protesting students on Sunday night, during which he reportedly said, “I will resign”, while adding that he needed to follow the institutional process and would communicate his decision after a meeting on Monday.
He also signed an 18-point charter presented by the protesters. While students interpreted the development as acceptance of their demands, an institute official said that due process would be followed. IIT Bombay’s latest statement now makes clear that Kedare remains the Director.
Questions Over What Led To Death
Wakode, a second-year BTech student in IIT Bombay’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering, died by suicide on September 18. The examination incident became central to the controversy after the institute said he had been found using a phone during the test.
Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was involved in the examination, was subsequently named in the FIR registered following the student’s death. IIT Bombay has now suspended Doolla from his administrative role as Dean of Administrative Affairs pending further inquiry.
The move came even as the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum publicly defended him, saying he had followed Senate-approved academic policies while carrying out his responsibilities as an invigilator.
Wakode’s father, Ravindra Wakode, has alleged that his son faced caste-based harassment and discrimination and has sought action against those he believes were responsible. Police have registered an abetment-to-suicide case and invoked provisions of the SC/ST Act.
The allegations are yet to be established through the investigation. IIT Bombay has denied that caste-based discrimination occurred and said Wakode had not submitted such a complaint to its administration or SC-ST cell. The police investigation, now involving the Mumbai Crime Branch, is expected to establish the sequence of events and examine the allegations made by the family.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The events at IIT Bombay underline why institutions must respond to a student’s death with care, restraint, transparency and empathy, particularly when key facts are still being investigated. The institute’s decision to apologise for its earlier communication is an important acknowledgement that allegations and preliminary accounts should not be presented as settled facts before an investigation is complete.
At the same time, accountability must be pursued through a fair process that protects the rights of the bereaved family, the accused and the wider student community. The 18-point charter signed during the protests also highlights concerns extending beyond one incident from grievance redressal and mental-health support to institutional transparency and student participation.
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