IIT Bombay, which has been surrounded by controversy since the suicide of a 20-year-old student, Sahil Wakode, last week, has postponed its mid-semester examinations. The exams, originally scheduled for September 26 and 27, will now officially take place on October 10 and 11. According to a notice issued by the institute, this decision was made following discussions with the students.
New Committee To Draft Student-Friendly SOP:
IIT Bombay said that postponing the exam would provide the newly formed committee, which will include equal representation from students, time to formulate a clear and student-friendly Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for invigilators. The revised guidelines will also establish clear rules regarding academic misconduct to ensure that examinations are conducted in a fair and uniform manner.
Faculty members have emphasised the need for step-by-step instructions and defined procedures for handling suspected cases of academic misconduct at every stage. The newly revised SOP and rules will be submitted to the Senate for formal approval before implementation.
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The Faculty's Reaction to Professor Doolla's Case:
In order to enable an unbiased investigation into the issue, Prof. Doolla, who was named in the FIR, has been placed on leave. The case alleges abetment to suicide due to caste discrimination. Prof. Doolla has been vehemently defended by the institute and the faculty forum against the accusations, claiming that he fulfilled his obligation when he discovered the student was cheating.
According to the institute, he received counseling and was given the assurance that he would not face any consequences for the cheating episode. IIT Bombay formed a 10-person high-level committee on Wednesday to look into the circumstances surrounding the alleged suicide of Sahil Wakode, a B Tech student, according to an official.