A second-year student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay died by suicide on Friday evening after being caught using a mobile phone — reportedly to upload an examination question to ChatGPT — during an ongoing test at the institute's Powai campus in Mumbai. The deceased has been identified as Sahil Wakode, enrolled in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. The incident marks the third reported suicide at the IIT Powai campus in the past six months, and has triggered student protests demanding accountability from the administration.

What Happened on Campus

According to the institute, Wakode had uploaded an examination question paper to ChatGPT in an attempt to obtain answers while the test was in progress. After the incident came to light, he was met by the examination instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him. IIT Bombay stated that no formal disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against him at that stage, and he was assured the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.

Following the discussion, Wakode returned to his hostel room, where he was subsequently found dead later that evening. The institute expressed grief over his death and said it was extending support to his friends, classmates, faculty, and others affected by the tragedy.

Student Protests and Allegations

A group of students assembled on campus shortly after the news spread, alleging that the administration had not disclosed the full circumstances surrounding Wakode's death. Some protesters claimed that he had been threatened with a one-year suspension, which — if imposed — could have required him to vacate his hostel accommodation and live off campus. Students further alleged that such a suspension could have delayed his engineering degree beyond the standard four-year duration.

'The reason for our protest is that a suicide took place in our college today. That is why we have gathered to protest and demand accountability, transparency, and answers from our administration,' a student said. Another protester questioned whether the institute was taking adequate steps to understand the causes behind a series of such incidents this year. However, the allegations regarding suspension threats have not been independently verified.

Institute and Police Response

IIT Bombay maintained that it had counselled Wakode and assured him there would be no adverse academic consequence, and that appropriate authorities were examining the circumstances of the death. Senior police officer Dattatray Nalawade confirmed that an investigation was underway. He noted that students had gathered to raise concerns, while institute officials held talks with student representatives in an effort to defuse tensions. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers across the campus during the protest.

A Troubling Pattern at IIT Bombay

This incident is the third reported student suicide at the IIT Powai campus within a span of six months, raising broader questions about mental health infrastructure, academic pressure, and institutional response at one of India's premier engineering colleges. This comes amid a national conversation about AI tool use in academic settings, with institutions still developing clear and consistent policies on the use of tools such as ChatGPT in examinations. The intersection of punitive academic culture and student mental health is now under sharp focus.

An investigation into Wakode's death remains ongoing, and the institute has said it will cooperate with authorities as the inquiry proceeds.