Why are students protesting at IIT-Bombay? | Explained

Students are seen protesting; IIT-Bombay constituted a 10-member inquiry committee and accepted 18 demands of the students

Story so far:

On September 18, 20-year-old Dalit student Sahil Wakode committed suicide in his hostel room at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai. He was a second year B.Tech student. Sahil’s parents alleged that their son faced caste discrimination. They registered an FIR against the IIT-Bombay faculty citing the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Mumbai Crime Branch is continuing its investigation. Meanwhile, IIT-Bombay constituted a 10-member inquiry committee and accepted 18 demands of the students. The institute initially said that Sahil was detained for cheating in the examination. He later apologized, saying: “It was not appropriate to state or characterize the details surrounding the events leading up to his demise before they were properly ascertained through the appropriate investigative process.”

What do students demand?

Protests were held at IIT-Bombay after the suicide case. The students presented a charter of 18 demands, which included action against the parties involved, an apology for defaming Sahil, an open house with all stakeholders, an independent investigation, accountability, a code of conduct for professors, student representation on both academic and non-academic committees, and a student welfare task force. Students also pushed for better handling of neglect cases, personal counselling, 24/7 emergency psychiatrist service and mental health awareness, dedicating time to the dean for one-on-one interaction with students to address their concerns and opening a portal for student queries.

They also sought out at least one counselor for every 250 students to reduce wait times. Students also requested independent audits of the Student Wellness Center and at least one counselor in each residence hall.

How did the institute react?

IIT-Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare signed the memorandum submitted by the students. The institute has appointed a 10-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death. The institute apologized for its previous statement. She also suspended prof. Satyanarayana Doollu as Dean for Administrative Affairs.

However, some students continued their protests and called IIT-Bombay’s apology a “joke”. “Not only has the institution not taken any responsibility for tarnishing the reputation of the deceased, the narrative impugning his image has only intensified since then,” said the letter issued by the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle of IIT Bombay. She demanded the resignation of the director of IIT-Bombay, saying that there had been four suicides during his tenure. The group also sought the resignation of Prof. Doolly.

Why is the faculty divided?

The faculty is divided on this issue. Some faculty members question whether the institute followed the proper process established for dealing with examination malpractice. They also asked if Sahil was given a fresh answer sheet after he was caught for alleged misconduct in compliance with the rules. The IIT-Bombay Faculty Forum issued a statement in support of Prof. Doolly. “We are concerned about the tarnishing of our colleague’s reputation by misleading reports,” it said. A group of faculty members distanced themselves from the forum, saying it was not an official representative of faculty members. It asked how the forum can issue a statement in support of a faculty member when the case is still under investigation.

What do the numbers show about caste discrimination?

The figures on caste discrimination in India’s leading institutions are stark. In September, the National Task Force on “Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Colleges” released its interim report. Between 2018 and 2023, 13,600 students from disadvantaged communities are reported to have left the leading institutions. During this period, 4,596 OBC students, 2,424 Scheduled Caste students and 2,622 Scheduled Tribes students left central universities. In the IITs, the numbers were 2,066 OBC students, 1,068 SC and 408 ST students. 163 OBC students, 188 SC and 91 ST students went to IIMs. The report said these shortfalls occurred despite measures such as fee waivers, scholarships and other government support. She said the numbers point to academic or other forms of stress affecting students.

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Published – 27 Sep 2026 02:00 IST