IIT-Bombay Signs 18-Point Charter: Amid a huge protests, IIT Bombay has issued an apology over earlier communication concerning a student suicide case and suspended professor Suryanarayana Doolla who has been in the centre of controversy. "IIT Bombay Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla, has been suspended with immediate effect. Any further action will be taken following an investigation," news agency ANI quoted Director Shirish B Kedare as saying.
Moments earlier, the premiere tech institute in a social media post, asserted that the details leading up to the incident remain under investigation. "We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil," read the post of IIT Bombay.
"The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities. In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process,” the institution added in a post on X.
The apology came amid an ongoing standoff between students and the college administration following a suicide case of 20-year-old student Sahil Wakode on September 18.
Earlier on Sunday, IIT-Bombay reached a pivotal moment after the institute administration agreed to adopt an 18-point charter submitted by protesting students. Kedare signed the official document after a prolonged meeting with students who had been conducting a sit-in near the campus main gate for three days.
The student protests intensified over allegations of harassment and systemic academic pressure. The charter addresses accountability surrounding Wakode's death, along with wider structural changes to the institute's academic, disciplinary, and student-welfare frameworks.
While the director acknowledged the students' demands, the administration clarified that formal action against the invigilating professor will proceed according to due legal and institutional procedures.
Cheating Allegations And Legal Proceedings
The incident originated during a mid-semester examination where Wakode, a second-year Energy Science student, was allegedly caught using a mobile phone. An FIR naming invigilator Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been registered by the Mumbai Police following a complaint from Wakode's parents, alleging abetment of suicide and violations under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The case has since been transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch, while the IIT-Bombay Faculty Forum has publicly defended the professor, stating he merely followed established exam procedures.
What Is IIT-Bombay Students' 18-Point Charter?
1. Defamation Apology: Students have sought an immediate public apology from IIT Bombay over what they describe as defamatory and selective details about Sahil Wakode shared in a LinkedIn post.
2. Open House: Students have demanded an Open House before September 22, with the Director, Deans and other key administrators present to answer questions.
3. Accountability of officials: Students have demanded that the Director, Dean AP and Dean SA resign if specified demands are not implemented within one month, along with weekly progress updates.
4. Independent probe: Students have sought an independent committee to investigate Sahil's death and the hospital response, with an interim report by September 30 and public conclusions by October 15.
5. Financial support: The charter seeks fair and prompt monetary compensation and continued institutional support for the four families who recently lost their loved ones.
6. Student representation: Students have demanded equal representation and voting rights on relevant academic and non-academic committees, without an administrative veto.
7. Review of decisions: They have sought a review of unilateral administrative decisions that affect student culture without prior consultation.
8. Professor code of conduct: Students have demanded a committee to establish clear complaint mechanisms, timelines and rules governing complaints against professors.
9. DAC cases: The charter seeks mandatory involvement of student mentors, companions and buddies, along with proper documentation when students face malpractice proceedings
10. Counselling services: Students have demanded one counsellor for every 250 students, at least one counsellor per hostel and regular audits of the Student Wellness Centre.
11. 24/7 mental health support: The demands include a round-the-clock on-call psychiatrist, qualified night-shift emergency doctors, mental-health training for staff and a regular feedback system.
12. Faculty sensitisation: Students have called for mandatory mental-health sensitisation workshops every two months and such training during the onboarding of professors and staff who interact with students.
13. Dean SA accessibility: The Dean SA office should allocate at least 20 hours a week for one-on-one student interactions, with written responses within 18 hours.
14. Hostel wing support: Students have demanded that second- and third-year students be allotted adjacent rooms to preserve existing student wing networks.
15. Student concerns portal: The charter calls for a transparent institute-wide portal where student complaints and administrative responses are publicly accessible.
16. Student well-being task force: Students have sought a permanent task force comprising students, faculty and experts to study causes of student distress and publish semester-wise reports.
17. Protection of protesters: Students have demanded a written assurance that no disciplinary, financial, legal, hostel-related or indirect action will be taken against those participating in the peaceful protest.
18. Action against stakeholders: Students have demanded the immediate suspension of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and removal of any other stakeholders found guilty after an investigation.
What Progress on Student's Suicide Investigation So Far?
According to Crime Branch sources, the investigation into the suicide of the IIT Bombay student is underway. Officials will soon summon the individuals named in the FIR for questioning. Meanwhile, Sahil's phone has been seized, and the scene of the incident has been thoroughly examined. No suicide note has been found so far.