IIT Bombay student death: Protest ends, but students split over Professor Doolla – here's why
An M.Tech student at IIT Bombay, said that students had different experiences with the professor, with some finding him helpful and others viewing him as strict.
The three-day student protest over the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode has ended, but the row over Professor Suryanarayana Doolla is far from over. Students who initially demanded action against him are now divided. Some are calling for due process for the professor while the allegations against him are being investigated.
The IIT Bombay administration has accepted an 18-point charter submitted by protesting students and held an open house at the Convocation Hall. Classes have resumed. The professor has been sent on leave and is facing a police investigation after Wakode's family alleged caste-based harassment and abetment to suicide.
Outside the campus, the deceased parents have taken the fight to Mumbai. They staged a hunger strike at Azad Maidan on September 24 demanding action against those named in the FIR. They ended the protest later that night but said they could resume it if Doolla is not arrested. Political groups have also demonstrated outside IIT Bombay.
The new divide is also visible among students. Some are supporting Wakode and the demands raised after his death, while others have proposed a march in support of due process for the professor. Faculty members have also defended him and said that he was carrying out his duties as an invigilator.
The incident – at a glance
Wakode, a second-year B.Tech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination.
The IIT Bombay had initially said that he used the phone to upload the examination question paper to ChatGPT. But it later apologised for that communication and stated it was inappropriate to characterise the circumstances surrounding his death before a probe had established the facts.
More than 400 students gathered near the institute's main building after his death. Their demands included an independent inquiry, changes to disciplinary procedures, greater student participation, improved student welfare systems and better mental-health support.
After three days of protests, IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare signed an 18-point charter submitted by the students. The administration later held an open house where the demands were discussed with students.
An M.Tech student at IIT Bombay, who spoke on condition of anonymity, maintained the reaction was also influenced by earlier incidents on campus.
"This is the fourth incident, as far as I know, during the period I have been here," he recalled to Zee Media Digial, referring to earlier cases. He said the latest incident also brought existing student dissatisfaction over how such cases were handled by the institute to the surface.
He claimed he had talked to students who attended the course involved in the latest incident while trying to form an opinion for student meetings.
"Regarding this incident, there was an allegation of academic malpractice. They said that the academic malpractice had taken place," he recounted.
He added that students also felt the examination had been given disproportionate weight in the response to the incident.
He pointed out that the examination had limited weightage in the student's overall academic record. "The examination was for 20 marks and was part of one course," he said, adding that he calculated its share of the overall academic record at roughly 0.04 per cent.
Divided camps over the professor
Doolla, who was invigilating the examination, became one of the main targets of the campus protest. He was later removed from his administrative position and sent on leave as the investigation progressed. The Mumbai Crime Branch is separately investigating the case.
The student described Doolla as a strict rule-follower who was known for taking disciplinary action over examination malpractice and other campus violations. He also observed that students had different experiences with the professor, with some finding him helpful and others viewing him as strict.
The caste allegation has become one of the most disputed parts of the case. Wakode's family has alleged that he faced caste-based harassment and caste-related remarks before his death. The allegations have not been established and are part of the ongoing investigation. The IIT Bombay has said no such complaint had been submitted by the deceased to its SC/ST Cell or the administration.
The student too maintained he had not personally witnessed caste-based discrimination at the institute.
"Coming to the caste angle, I have not personally investigated it in depth, so I may not be the right person to make a definitive statement about it. From what I have personally seen, I have not encountered caste-based discrimination at the institute," he clarified.
He also described IIT Bombay's SC/ST Cell as active and that students could raise complaints with the administration.
These observations do not establish whether caste-based harassment occurred in Wakode's case. The police are investigating the allegation.
Why some students are supporting Doolla
The student explained that the atmosphere changed after the administration accepted the 18-point charter.
"After the protests, the students came up with 18 points. The administration then held an open house in the Convocation Hall, which was attended by most of the students. The administration came up with solutions, and I think all 18 points were accepted," he recalled.
The allegations against the professor then became a separate issue.
"Many students then came forward in his support because they believe that the allegation is not true," he added.
A smaller protest is still taking place at the main gate, according to him, but its demands are different from the original 18-point charter.
"At present, there are a few people protesting at the main gate, but they are not raising the same allegation. They have put forward another five or six points that they want the administration to address," he explained.
Some students have also proposed organising a march in support of due process for Doolla.
"They are not necessarily saying that they are supporting Professor Doolla directly. Rather, they are saying that a person should be considered innocent until proven guilty," the student argued.
Faculty members have separately rallied behind their colleague. The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has said he followed the prescribed procedure during the examination and defended his record as a faculty member.
The student reiterated that many students still support the deceased. "At the same time, many students are also supporting Sahil, the student who died," he added.
IIT Bombay postpones exams
The dispute is being examined through two separate investigations. The IIT Bombay has constituted a 10-member panel to examine the circumstances surrounding Wakode's death, while the Mumbai Crime Branch is separately probing the case. Investigators have been examining CCTV footage from the examination hall, campus and hostel and recording statements.
CCTV footage from the examination hall reportedly shows Doolla approaching Wakode after noticing something in his pocket and asking him to leave the examination hall. Investigators are examining the sequence of events that followed.
The IIT Bombay has also postponed the mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26 and 27 to October 10 and 11. The institute has announced that the same examination timetable will be followed, with the dates moved by two weeks.
The institute is also considering changes to its academic malpractice procedures. The proposed measures include giving students an opportunity to speak to a mentor before disciplinary proceedings and making the consequences of malpractice clearer on answer sheets.
The student explained that the administration generally responds to complaints within a day or two, but students can find it difficult to identify the right department because the institute has several specialised teams. He suggested an online system that would allow students to track administrative requests.
The family's protest is now running on a separate track from the campus agitation. Wakode's parents have demanded action against those they allege were responsible for their son's suffering and have called for the professor's arrest. Their hunger strike at Azad Maidan ended on September 24.