IIT Bombay Removes Professor Suryanarayana Doolla As Dean Amid Sahil Wakode Suicide Row

IIT Bombay has removed Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his position as dean of administrative affairs, three days after the death by suicide of 22-year-old second-year engineering student Sahil Wakode.

Three days after the death by suicide of Sahil Wakode, a second-year engineering student of IIT Bombay, who is 22 years old, the institute has removed Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from the role of Dean of Administrative Affairs.

Doolla, from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was the invigilator during the examination in which Wakode was allegedly found using a mobile phone.

Doolla's Removal Follows 18-Point Student Charter

The decision to remove Doolla from the deanship follows an 18-point charter of demands signed by IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare on September 20.

Students had been protesting for three days following Wakode’s death. Among their demands was action against Doolla, along with an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The charter also demands that the institute's work on student related issues should be more transparent and inquiry reports should be provided within a time limit.

What Happened During The Examination?

IIT Bombay said Doolla was supervising an examination during the middle of the semester on 18th September when he allegedly spotted Wakode using a mobile phone.

The institute had earlier said that Wakode had uploaded the examination question paper to an AI platform to seek answers.

At the time of this writing, IIT Bombay said that no disciplinary actions were initiated against Wakode. The student was said to have received counselling from the instructor, faculty adviser and Head of Department who assured the student that the incident would not negatively impact his academic career.

Wakode’s parents have alleged that their son faced harassment and caste-based discrimination before his death. They have also held institute officials responsible for what happened.

Doolla’s name was subsequently included in an FIR registered on the basis of the family’s complaint. The allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been established.

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum had earlier defended Doolla, saying he had been performing his responsibilities as an examination invigilator and had reported the alleged malpractice in accordance with institutional procedures.

Students Seek Broader Institutional Reforms

The demands accepted in the 18-point charter extend beyond action against the professor.

Students have sought an independent probe into Wakode’s death, a time-bound report, an open interaction with senior administrators and an apology over what they described as the public defamation of the student.

The charter also contains the following demands covering faculty conduct, mental health awareness, counselling facilities, disciplinary procedures and increased student representation.

Students have suggested a task force to be comprised of students, students' faculty members, mental health professionals and outside experts that should look at issues of student distress on campus.

IIT Bombay Apologises For Earlier Statement

The institute has separately apologised for an earlier communication concerning Wakode’s death.

IIT Bombay said the circumstances leading up to the incident remain under investigation and acknowledged that it was inappropriate to characterise those events before they had been established through the appropriate investigative process.

The institute has also clarified that Director Shireesh Kedare has not resigned and continues to hold his position.

With Doolla’s removal now formalised, attention is expected to remain focused on the proposed independent inquiry and the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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