IIT Bombay is implementing a phased set of reforms focused on student wellness, hostel living conditions and examination-related disciplinary processes. The measures follow the death by suicide of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode and the subsequent campus protests that led the institute director to accept an 18-point student charter. The reforms aim to strengthen support systems, improve everyday campus life and address long-standing concerns about mental health, grievance redressal and the handling of academic misconduct cases.
Background of the Campus Response
On 18 September 2026, Sahil Wakode, a student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room. Earlier that day he had been involved in an examination-related incident in which he was allegedly found using a mobile phone. The institute’s initial public communication referred to the use of an AI platform to seek answers. The death triggered three days of student protests near the main gate. Students submitted an 18-point charter seeking an independent inquiry, changes to disciplinary procedures, stronger counselling services, greater student representation and other systemic improvements.
Director Professor Shireesh Kedare signed the charter after a lengthy meeting with student representatives. The institute also issued an apology for aspects of its earlier statement, noting that it was inappropriate to characterise details before a proper investigation. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who had been the invigilator and held the post of Dean of Administrative Affairs, was relieved of his administrative responsibilities pending further inquiry. Parallel police investigations, including by the Mumbai Crime Branch, are examining the circumstances surrounding the death.
Changes to Examination and Disciplinary Processes
A newly constituted committee with equal representation of faculty and students is developing student-friendly Standard Operating Procedures for invigilators and reviewing how suspected academic misconduct is handled. One proposal under active discussion is to allow a student facing an allegation of malpractice to speak with a student mentor before appearing before a disciplinary committee. Mentors, typically senior students assigned to freshers, would offer reassurance and perspective, helping reduce isolation and panic in the immediate aftermath of an incident.
Another measure being considered is the clear listing of consequences for examination malpractice on the first page of answer sheets so that students are aware of the rules and potential outcomes in advance. These steps respond directly to student demands for more transparent, less abrupt disciplinary processes and for safeguards that recognise the mental stress associated with academic integrity proceedings. The remaining mid-semester examinations were postponed to allow time for the campus to stabilise.
Strengthening Wellness and Mental-Health Support
Mental-health provisions form a substantial part of the reform agenda. Students had called for at least one counsellor for every 250 students, a counsellor presence in every hostel, independent audits of the Student Wellness Centre and round-the-clock access to a psychiatrist through the campus hospital. The institute has indicated that broader wellness-support measures are being rolled out in phases, with some steps already underway and others awaiting final approval or further student feedback.
Mandatory mental-health sensitisation workshops for faculty and staff who interact regularly with students are also under consideration. Improved emergency medical services, better-qualified night-shift doctors and mental-health training for hospital personnel have been listed among the priorities. A standing student-wellbeing task force comprising students, faculty members, mental-health professionals and external experts is expected to examine the causes of student distress and recommend preventive measures on an ongoing basis.
Hostel Safety and Everyday Living Conditions
In response to a series of student deaths on campus, the institute has decided to introduce wall-mounted fans in hostels and other utility areas and to phase out ceiling fans as part of ongoing renovation work. The first batch of wall-mounted units has arrived, although installation timelines are still being finalised. While this physical safety measure addresses one specific risk, student representatives have emphasised that structural reforms in counselling, grievance redressal and campus culture remain equally important.
Additional hostel-related proposals include enhanced support systems at the wing level and clearer channels for raising everyday concerns. An online student-concerns portal is among the tools under discussion to improve tracking and response times for complaints.
Greater Student Representation and Accountability Mechanisms
The 18-point charter stressed the need for meaningful student participation in decision-making bodies that affect academic and non-academic life. The new committee examining disciplinary SOPs already incorporates equal faculty-student representation. Proposals for a formal code of conduct for faculty, a structured complaints mechanism against professors with defined timelines, and dedicated weekly hours during which the Dean of Student Affairs meets students one-to-one are also part of the broader package.
Written responses to student concerns within a fixed timeframe and regular progress updates on the implementation of agreed reforms form part of the accountability framework. The charter further sought an assurance that students who participated peacefully in the protests would not face disciplinary, hostel, financial or legal repercussions.
Phased Implementation and Ongoing Work
IIT Bombay has described the overall exercise as a phased revamp. Some wellness and support measures are already in motion, while others remain subject to institutional approval processes or further consultation with the student body. An independent inquiry into the circumstances of Sahil Wakode’s death has been instituted, with students having requested interim and final reports within defined timelines.
The reforms reflect an institutional recognition that high academic pressure, the handling of misconduct cases and gaps in mental-health infrastructure can combine to create serious risks for students. By combining procedural changes in examination halls, expanded counselling capacity, physical safety upgrades in hostels and greater student voice in governance, the institute is attempting to address both immediate vulnerabilities and longer-term systemic issues.
The coming weeks and months will test the speed and sincerity of implementation. Regular communication with the campus community, transparent progress reports and continued engagement with student representatives will determine whether the current set of measures translates into a more supportive and responsive environment. For an institution of IIT Bombay’s standing, the reforms represent an important opportunity to align academic excellence with stronger systems of care and accountability.
Read more – wardrobeoops.com
