Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 21 (ANI): IIT Bombay on Monday suspended the deanship of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla with immediate effect and issued a formal apology retracting its earlier characterizations of the incident. The decision on suspension was taken by IIT Bombay Director Shireesh B. Kedare. The insititute also clarified that Kedare had not resigned as director as had been claimed in certain reports.
In an official communication IIT Bombay also walked back its previous claims regarding the circumstances leading up to the tragedy, acknowledging that premature assertions had inappropriately framed the events before any due investigative process was carried out.
“We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil,” the institute stated.
"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," it added.
Sahil Wakode, a student from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, died by suicide on Friday. In an earlier statement issued on September 19, IIT Bombay had alleged that the student was caught cheating in an examination.
"Earlier in the day, during an examination, the student was found using a mobile phone in the exam hall. He had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers. No disciplinary action was initiated against the student. The matter was also discussed with the student by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. The student subsequently returned to his hostel room. Later in the evening, he was found dead in his room," IIT Bombay said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has expressed solidarity withProfessor Suryanarayana Doolla, stating he was following institutional protocol after discovering that the student was in "unauthorised possession and use of a smartphone."
"We strongly express our solidarity with our colleague Prof Suryanarayana Doolla, who was discharging his duties in line with the institute’s Senate-approved academic policies currently in force," the forum said in the statement, while offering deepest condolences to the family of the student.
The forum said Prof Doolla, the course instructor, was invigilating the mid-semester examination from 11 am to 1 pm on September 18, when he saw a student using a smartphone without authorisation, which it termed "academic malpractice."
The forum said, "As part of the institute-approved procedure, he reported the incident to institute authorities for further action in the matter. The Faculty Forum of IIT Bombay is absolutely distressed with the tarnishing of the reputation of our colleague Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla, who was merely discharging his academic duties, and following the institute-approved procedures."
The Mumbai Police has officially transferred the case of the alleged suicide Crime Branch. The deceased's father filed a formal police complaint making grave allegations against campus authorities. Following the complaint, the Mumbai Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) naming IIT Bombay professor and exam invigilator Suryanarayan Dulla.
The father of the deceased student levelled serious allegations of harassment in the complaint, saying that the professor hurled casteist slurs at the student over the last three months. A case has been registered against Dulla. (ANI)
IIT Bombay student suicide: Professor Doola's deanship suspended, Institute retracts statement claiming cheating by student
