Student representatives at IIT Bombay have issued a statement clarifying that their recent protests were not intended to justify academic misconduct, but rather to highlight systemic issues within the institute. The statement follows the tragic death of Sahil Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, who was found dead in his room.
Clarifying the Protest's Intent
“We do not stand for or condone cheating or any form of academic misconduct,” the representatives affirmed. They added that the loss of their fellow student, Sahil, has compelled them to reflect on the systems and processes within the institute. This clarification comes after IIT-B had initially stated that Wakode was caught cheating and had uploaded his question paper to ChatGPT for answers, a statement for which the institute later apologized, calling it inappropriate.
The students emphasized that their protest was not about excusing academic dishonesty, but about raising broader concerns that have emerged from their collective campus experiences. They stressed the importance of addressing underlying issues that contribute to student distress and other challenges within the academic environment.
The Case of Professor Doolla
Regarding Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been removed as the dean of administrative affairs, the student representatives stated, “Our position has never been one of presuming guilt or prejudging the ongoing investigation.” They expressed solidarity with Professor Doolla as a member of their faculty community and called for a fair and impartial probe into the matter.
Mumbai Police have booked Professor Doolla under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Section 108 (abetment to suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Faculty members at IIT-Delhi have publicly supported Professor Doolla, asserting he was merely discharging his duties. The IIT Bombay students had previously demanded that Professor Doolla be relieved of his duties as Dean of Administrative Affairs during the ongoing investigation to ensure its fairness.
Broader Campus Concerns
The representatives concluded by urging that Sahil’s loss should not be politicized or used by external organizations to push specific narratives. They reiterated that their demands are a direct result of the lived experiences and concerns of students on the IIT Bombay campus, aiming for constructive reflection and improvement of institute systems.