IIT Bombay Student Protest: Caste Abuse Allegations and Mental Health Crisis

The Incident at Powai Campus

On September 18, 2026, Sahil Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering department at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, was found dead in his hostel room. According to official statements from the institute, the tragedy occurred after the student was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during an examination to upload a question paper to an AI platform for answers (Times of India).

While the institute claimed that the student was counselled and assured that the incident would not ruin his academic career, the subsequent discovery of his body triggered an immediate IIT Bombay campus student protest. Students gathered at the Powai campus to demand a transparent inquiry, citing a pervasive high-stress environment and institutional failures in supporting student well-being.

Legal Action and Allegations of Caste Discrimination

The situation escalated on September 19, 2026, when the Mumbai Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Suryanarayana Doolla, a faculty member in the Energy Science department. The FIR was based on a complaint by the student's father, Chakradhar Wakode, who alleged that his son had been subjected to systemic harassment (The Hindu).

The allegations are severe, involving charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and abetment to suicide. The complainant stated that the faculty member had used casteist slurs, telling the student he was from a 'lower caste' and could be easily harassed or implicated in false cases. This intersection of academic pressure and caste-based abuse has turned a campus tragedy into a broader conversation about social equity within India's premier engineering institutes.

A Pattern of Student Distress

This incident is not an isolated event. The death of Sahil Wakode marks the third reported suicide at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay campus within a seven-month window. Previous cases occurred in February and July 2026, highlighting a worrying trend of mental health crises among high-achieving students. The protests have led to demands for the resignation of the IIT Bombay Director and a complete overhaul of how the institute handles disciplinary actions and mental health support.

Demands for Institutional Reform

• Transparent Inquiries: Moving beyond internal reviews to independent investigations into faculty conduct.
• Anti-Harassment Policies: Stricter enforcement of laws protecting students from caste-based discrimination.
• Exam Reform: Re-evaluating the high-pressure environment and the rigid nature of exam-conduct procedures.
• Mental Health Infrastructure: Increasing accessible, non-judgmental counselling services for students in crisis.