IIT Bombay Faculty Forum Backs Invigilator Doolla Following Student Death

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has issued a statement backing invigilator Suryanarayana Doolla, who was named in an FIR following the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode on September 18. Wakode died by suicide after allegedly being found using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination. The faculty body stated Doolla acted in accordance with Senate-approved policies. Wakode's family has alleged caste-based harassment, which the institute has denied. The Mumbai Crime Branch is now leading the investigation.

Two days after second-year student Sahil Wakode died in connection with an examination-related incident, the Faculty Forum at IIT Bombay announced its support for invigilator Suryanarayana Doolla. A September 20 statement from the faculty body confirmed that Doolla had been carrying out his responsibilities in line with academic policies ratified by the institute's Senate. The remarks follow demonstrations at IIT Bombay and a police complaint lodged on the basis of allegations put forward by Wakode's family. Powai police have registered an FIR naming invigilator Doolla in connection with the student's death, with the case subsequently handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch, media reports indicate. The relatives have attributed the death to caste-based targeting, a claim IIT Bombay has disputed, with the institution stating that an inquiry into the matter is underway. Wakode, a second-year student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, took his own life on 18 September, reportedly after being found with a mobile phone during a mid-semester exam. According to the institute, he had used ChatGPT to obtain answers by submitting the examination question paper to the platform. A statement from IIT Bombay, dated 19 September, confirmed that no punitive measures had been taken against the student. According to the institute, both the course instructor and the department head met with him to offer guidance and reassure him that the episode would have no bearing on his academic standing. Pupils raised concerns about how the institute managed the episode and claimed that Wakode had faced the threat of suspension. No independent verification of those assertions has been established. According to a statement released by the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum on September 20, invigilator Doolla was supervising a mid-semester examination between 11 am and 1 pm on September 18 when he noticed a student reportedly in possession of an unauthorised smartphone and using it during the test. The Faculty Forum noted that Doolla had followed the institute-approved procedure by referring the matter to institutional authorities, and separately conveyed its backing for him, stating that he had carried out his responsibilities in accordance with the academic policies ratified by the Senate and currently in effect. The faculty body further expressed deep concern over what it characterised as harm to Doolla's professional standing, asserting that he had acted within his academic remit and adhered to procedures sanctioned by the institution.

IIT Bombay Faculty Forum Backs Invigilator Doolla Following Student Death

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IIT Bombay Faculty Forum Backs Invigilator Doolla Following Student Death

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