IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode Dies By Suicide Hours After Being Accused Of Cheating In Exam, Students Raise 18 Demands

A student’s death at IIT Bombay has sparked protests on the campus, putting the spotlight on an incident that took place during a mid-semester examination.

Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student, died by suicide on 18 September. In the days that followed, students gathered at the Powai campus and raised demands from the institute.

The case has since involved Sahil’s family, the police and the IIT Bombay administration, with an investigation now underway. Here is what happened, what the family has said and what students are seeking from the institute.

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What Happened At IIT Bombay?

Sahil was a second-year student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

On 18 September, he was allegedly found using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination. IIT Bombay said he had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.

According to the institute, the instructor and department head counselled Sahil and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. The institute said no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.

Sahil was later found dead in his hostel room.

The death triggered protests at the Powai campus. The institute also postponed the mid-semester examinations scheduled for 19 September.

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What Did Sahil’s Parents Say?

Sahil’s parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, have alleged that their son faced harassment and caste-based discrimination.

In his complaint to the police, Ravindra alleged that Sahil had faced caste-based remarks and harassment for around three months. The family also alleged that he had been threatened with suspension after the examination incident.

The family’s allegations are part of the FIR and remain under investigation. IIT Bombay has denied caste-based discrimination and said Sahil had not submitted a complaint to its SC/ST cell or administration.

Ravindra has called for a thorough investigation and action against those found responsible. The family also sought legal support and asked the state to oppose any anticipatory bail plea by the accused.

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What Are The 18 Demands?

After three days of protests at IIT Bombay, Director Shireesh Kedare signed an 18-point charter submitted by protesting students during a three-hour late-night meeting on Sunday, 20 September. Students said the demands had been accepted, while an institute official said discussions would continue and that “due process will be followed.”

The demands listed in the students’ charter are:

1. Action against stakeholders: Immediate suspension of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and removal of any stakeholder found guilty after the investigation.

2. Apology for defamation: A public apology from IIT Bombay over what students called the defamation of Sahil through details published in the institute’s LinkedIn post.

3. Open house with stakeholders: An open house involving the Director, Dean SA, Dean AP and Sahil’s department HOD, where students can directly raise concerns and questions. Students want this held before 22 September.

4. Accountability for implementation: The Director, Dean AP and Dean SA should resign if demands 5 to 14 are not implemented within a month. Students have also sought weekly progress updates.

5. Independent investigation: An independent panel comprising professors, student representatives, external members and members recommended by students to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death, including the emergency and hospital response. Students want an interim report by 30 September and the final process and conclusions made public by 15 October.

6. Monetary support: Fair and prompt monetary assistance for the four families who have lost a loved one in recent months at IIT Bombay, in consultation with the families, along with continued institutional support.

7. Student representation: Voting power for student representatives in academic and non-academic committees concerning students, with equal student representation and no administrative veto over the student voice.

8. Re-evaluation of decisions: Decisions affecting student culture that were imposed without consultation should be reconsidered after taking students’ views into account.

9. Code of conduct for professors: A committee should establish a process for complaints against professors, including an escalation mechanism and a defined timeline for evaluating cases.

10. Improved handling of DAC cases: When a student is caught committing malpractice, the matter should not be handled in isolation. The student’s mentor or student companion and a student buddy chosen by the student should be informed immediately. Interactions concerning the case should be documented and conducted with these people’s knowledge.

11. Better in-person counselling: IIT Bombay should have at least one counsellor for every 250 students. Students have also sought independent audits of the Student Wellness Centre and at least one counsellor in every hostel.

12. 24/7 psychiatrist and better-prepared hospital: A round-the-clock psychiatrist on call at IIT Bombay Hospital, better-qualified emergency and night-shift doctors, regular mental-health training for hospital staff and a mechanism to address students’ concerns about the hospital.

13. Mental-health sensitisation: Mandatory sensitisation workshops every two months for professors and staff who directly interact with students, with the training also incorporated into onboarding.

14. Dedicated Dean SA hours: At least 20 hours a week from the Dean SA office for one-on-one interactions with students. Students have sought written responses to concerns within 48 hours and weekly publication of available interaction slots.

15. Support for hostel wings: The administration should support students in bringing hostel wings back together and ensure that wingmates remain together in subsequent years, with adjacent rooms, to preserve their support network.

16. Open student concerns portal: A portal where students can raise institute-wide concerns, with their posts and the administration’s responses visible to the student community.

17. Task force on student well-being: A standing task force comprising students, faculty, mental-health professionals and external experts to study student distress, recommend preventive measures and publish a semester-wise report for IIT Bombay residents.

18. No action against protesters: No disciplinary, hostel, financial or legal action, or indirect penalty, should be taken against students participating in the protest. Students have sought a written assurance on this point.

What Action Has Been Taken?

The police have registered an FIR based on Sahil’s father’s complaint. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been named in the case along with other officials. The FIR includes allegations of abetment of suicide and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The investigation has been transferred from Powai police to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

At IIT Bombay, the Board of Governors is scheduled to discuss the matter, while an open house with students is expected to address the 18-point charter.

The institute’s Faculty Forum has also publicly supported Doolla, saying he was following the institute’s approved procedure after identifying alleged academic malpractice during the examination.

That leaves the central allegations to be examined through the ongoing police and institutional processes.

Why This Case Matters Beyond IIT Bombay

A student’s death affects more than one family. It can leave classmates and friends dealing with grief while raising questions about the support available on campus.

A Hindustan Times report, based on an IIT Kanpur alumnus’s compilation of RTI responses, found that at least 171 students across IITs died by unnatural ways between January 2006 and September 2026. About 82% of the suicides occurred on IIT campuses, the report said.

The concern extends beyond IITs. NCRB’s Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024 recorded 14,488 student suicides in 2024, up from 13,892 in 2023. Student suicides accounted for 8.5% of all 1,70,746 suicides recorded that year.

The Ministry of Education’s National Task Force has identified academic pressure, discrimination, financial difficulties, ragging, harassment and stigma around mental-health support among issues requiring attention in higher educational institutions.

For students, the availability of counselling, clear grievance mechanisms and accessible support can be crucial. The circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death remain under investigation, but the case has renewed attention on how campuses respond when students raise concerns or need support.

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If You Or Someone You Know Needs Help

India’s government-run Tele-MANAS mental-health helpline is available 24/7 at 14416 or 1800-89-14416. It provides mental-health support and can connect callers with further services. 

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TL;DR | News At a Glance

Who was Sahil Wakode?
Sahil Wakode was a second-year BTech student in IIT Bombay’s Energy Science and Engineering department. He died by suicide on 18 September 2026.

What happened before his death?
During a mid-semester examination on 18 September, Sahil was allegedly found using a mobile phone. IIT Bombay said he had uploaded the exam paper to an AI platform and that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him. Some students and his parents gave a different account, alleging that he was threatened with suspension.

What did Sahil’s parents allege?
His parents alleged that he had faced harassment and caste-based remarks. These allegations form part of the police case and are being investigated. IIT Bombay has denied caste-based discrimination and said its SC/ST cell had not received a complaint from Sahil.

What are the 18 demands raised by students?
The demands include an independent investigation into Sahil’s death, action against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla subject to the investigation and due process, stronger mental-health services, a code of conduct for professors, greater student representation and protection for students participating in the protest.

Has IIT Bombay accepted the demands?
IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare signed the 18-point charter submitted by the protesting students. Students said the administration had accepted their demands, while an institute official said discussions would continue and due process would be followed.

What action has been taken in the case?
An FIR was registered based on the family’s complaint, naming Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and referring to other institute officials. The investigation was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. No conclusion about criminal responsibility has been established at this stage.

What happens next?
The students have sought a written response within 24 hours and an implementation plan before 26 September. The institute’s Board of Governors is also scheduled to consider the matter, while the police investigation continues.

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