Yugcharan News / 19-09-2026
Mumbai: A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay died by suicide on Friday evening after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination, with the institute stating that he had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT in an attempt to obtain answers. The death was followed by protests by students on the Powai campus, who demanded greater transparency and accountability from the administration.
The student was identified as Sahil Wakode, a second-year student of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. According to IIT Bombay, the incident involving the mobile phone took place during an examination earlier in the day. The institute said the student had used ChatGPT after uploading the examination question paper to seek answers.
IIT Bombay has maintained that no disciplinary action had been initiated against the student following the incident. The institute said the matter was discussed with him by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
The student subsequently returned to his hostel room. Later that evening, he was found dead in his room. Police have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
IIT Bombay Says No Disciplinary Action Was Started
In its statement following the incident, IIT Bombay said it was deeply saddened by the death of the student and that the circumstances surrounding the case were being examined by the appropriate authorities.
The institute also said it was extending support to the student's friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by the incident.
The statement is significant because questions emerged on campus over whether the student had faced the possibility of serious disciplinary consequences after being caught using the phone during the examination.
IIT Bombay's official account, however, says that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him. The institute further said that faculty members had spoken to him, counselled him and assured him that the examination-related incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
The circumstances surrounding what happened between the examination, the discussion with faculty and the student's death remain under investigation.
Students Protest at Powai Campus
Following news of Wakode's death, a group of IIT Bombay students gathered on the campus and began protesting. The students called for accountability and transparency from the institute's administration and questioned the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Some protesting students alleged that Wakode had been threatened with a possible one-year suspension after being caught using ChatGPT during the examination. They claimed that such a suspension could have required him to leave the hostel and live outside the campus and could potentially have affected the duration of his engineering course.
These claims were made by protesting students and have not been independently verified. They also differ from the institute's statement that no disciplinary action had been initiated against the student and that he had been assured that the incident would not affect his academic career.
The difference between the students' allegations and the institute's official account has become one of the central issues raised during the protest.
One student said the gathering was intended to seek answers from the administration and demand greater transparency following the death.
Police personnel were deployed on the campus as students and the administration held discussions.
Police Begin Investigation
Senior police officer Dattatray Nalawade said an investigation was underway following the student's death.
According to the police, students gathered on campus after the incident and raised several demands. The IIT administration was holding discussions with the protesters in an effort to resolve the situation.
The police investigation is expected to establish the sequence of events surrounding the examination, the interaction between the student and faculty members and what happened later in the hostel room.
At this stage, authorities have not publicly established a definitive cause for the student's death beyond the circumstances already reported. Claims about the role of disciplinary pressure remain allegations raised by students and should not be treated as an established finding until supported by the investigation.
Third Reported Suicide at IIT Bombay in Six Months
The latest incident has also raised concerns because it is being reported as the third suicide at the IIT Bombay Powai campus in six months.
According to the report, a second-year student died by suicide in a hostel in February. Another 20-year-old second-year BTech student died by suicide in July 2026, around the beginning of the new academic semester.
The latest death has therefore renewed discussion among students about mental-health support, academic pressure and the need for institutions to respond quickly when students experience distress.
IIT Bombay already operates a Student Wellness Centre that provides counselling and other support services to students. The centre describes its services as confidential and offers individual counselling, group therapy, mindfulness programmes and peer support.
The institute also provides online counselling facilities for students. Its Student Wellness Centre says students can access free online counselling through services made available in collaboration with external mental-health professionals.
ChatGPT and Academic Integrity
The incident has also brought renewed attention to the growing use of artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT in educational institutions.
AI systems can be used by students for learning, explanation and academic assistance, but their use during examinations can violate examination rules when unauthorised assistance is prohibited. In Wakode's case, IIT Bombay said he had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT during the test to seek answers.
The case highlights the difficulties educational institutions face as students gain easier access to AI tools through smartphones and other devices. Universities and colleges are increasingly required to establish clear rules concerning when AI assistance is permitted and when its use constitutes academic misconduct.
At the same time, the incident demonstrates the importance of distinguishing an academic-integrity allegation from the circumstances surrounding a student's death. The institute has said that no disciplinary action had been initiated and that faculty members had counselled the student. Students protesting on campus have presented a different account involving alleged threats of suspension.
Determining which account accurately reflects the events will require examination by the appropriate authorities.
Family Seeks Justice
Wakode's mother has also raised allegations concerning the treatment of her son and demanded an investigation.
According to the report, she alleged that her son had been subjected to severe harassment and said she had filed a complaint seeking justice.
Her allegations have added another dimension to the case, although the claims will also need to be examined by investigators before any conclusions can be drawn.
The authorities are expected to consider statements from the family, students, faculty members and other individuals who interacted with Wakode on the day of the incident.
Administration Faces Questions
The incident has placed the IIT Bombay administration under pressure to address questions raised by students while the police investigation continues.
For the students, the immediate concerns include transparency about the events leading up to the death and the institute's approach to academic disciplinary matters. For the administration, the challenge is to communicate verified information without interfering with the ongoing investigation or disclosing private details concerning the student and his family.
The institute has already stated that it is supporting students and faculty members affected by the tragedy.
The protests also underline broader concerns about student well-being at highly competitive educational institutions, where academic expectations, examinations and future career prospects can create significant pressure.
However, in the absence of a completed investigation, it would be premature to attribute the student's death to any single event or factor.
Investigation and Campus Discussions Continue
As the police inquiry continues, discussions between students and the IIT Bombay administration are also expected to remain an important part of the immediate response.
The death has brought together several issues — examination rules, the use of artificial intelligence, disciplinary procedures, student welfare and transparency — all of which are now being debated on the campus.
For now, IIT Bombay has maintained that the student was counselled after being caught using a mobile phone during the examination and that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him. Students, meanwhile, have raised allegations about possible suspension and pressure, which remain unverified.
The police investigation will be crucial in establishing the factual sequence of events.
The incident has left the IIT Bombay community dealing with the loss of a young student while also confronting difficult questions about academic pressure and student support. As authorities examine the circumstances of Wakode's death, the focus remains on establishing the facts and ensuring that concerns raised by the student community and the family are properly addressed.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek immediate support from a trusted person, a mental-health professional, or emergency services. IIT Bombay's Student Wellness Centre also provides confidential counselling and support to students.
