IIT Bombay Student Suicide: Professor Suryanarayana Doolla’s Deanship Suspended

Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has suspended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his deanship with immediate effect following the death by suicide of second-year BTech student Sahil Ravindra Wakode and mounting protests on the campus. The institute has also apologised for its earlier communication about the circumstances preceding the student’s death, saying those details should not have been characterised before an investigation established the facts.

Doolla, a faculty member in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was serving as Dean of Administrative Affairs and had earlier served as Dean of Student Affairs. He was the invigilator during the examination involving Wakode on September 18. IIT Bombay’s earlier account said Wakode had been found using a mobile phone during the examination and had uploaded the question paper to an AI platform to seek answers. The institute said the student was subsequently counselled and assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career, adding that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him at that stage.

Wakode was later found dead in his hostel room. His death triggered protests by students, who questioned the institute’s handling of the examination incident and demanded an independent inquiry and greater accountability. Students submitted an 18-point charter of demands, which included action against Doolla, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death, reforms to disciplinary procedures and measures to strengthen student welfare and counselling systems.

The student’s parents subsequently approached the police and alleged that their son had faced harassment and caste-based discrimination. An FIR was registered naming Doolla, with the allegations being investigated by the authorities. The case was subsequently transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. The allegations against the professor have not been established and remain subject to investigation.

At the same time, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has expressed solidarity with Doolla, maintaining that he was performing his duties as an examination invigilator in accordance with the institute’s Senate-approved academic policies. The forum said the professor had reported the alleged examination malpractice to the appropriate authorities as required under institutional procedure.

In its latest communication, IIT Bombay acknowledged that its earlier description of events was premature. The institute said the details surrounding Wakode’s death remain under investigation and that it was inappropriate to characterise events preceding the death before they had been established through the proper investigative process. The institute’s Director, Professor Shireesh B. Kedare, also clarified that reports claiming he had resigned were false.

The suspension currently applies to Doolla’s deanship, while he continues as a professor and as head of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. IIT Bombay has indicated that any further action will depend on the outcome of the investigation.

The developments have brought renewed attention to concerns raised by students about academic pressure, disciplinary mechanisms, campus support systems and the handling of student distress. The ongoing police investigation and any institutional inquiry are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death and determine whether any individual or institutional responsibility arises.