Last Updated:September 24, 2026, 13:40 IST

The decision was taken after consultations with student representatives and a newly constituted committee has drawn up a revised SOP for examination invigilators.

IIT Bombay Student Dies By Suicide (Photos: Social Media)

IIT Bombay on Thursday postponed its mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26 and 27 to October 10 and 11, amid an ongoing row over the death of BTech student Sahil Wakode.

The institute said the examinations would be conducted according to the timetable originally issued by the Dean, with the same schedule being followed on the rescheduled dates.

The decision was taken after consultations with student representatives, with the additional time being used by a newly constituted committee to draw up a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for examination invigilators.

Students’ Equal Representation In Committee, Revised Instructions For Invigilators

The committee will have equal representation from students and is expected to formulate clearer, student-friendly procedures for dealing with suspected academic misconduct during examinations.

Faculty members have also called for step-by-step instructions covering how invigilators should respond when they suspect a student of academic misconduct and the procedure to be followed at each stage.

Also Read: Twin-Sharing Rooms, Increased Counselling Hours: IIT Bombay’s Proposed Changes After Sahil Wakode’s Death

The revised SOP and rules will have to be placed before the IIT Bombay Senate for formal approval before they can be implemented.

Protests Over Sahil’s Death Mar IIT-B

The move comes amid protests and demands for an independent probe following the death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student who was found hanging in his hostel room on September 18, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination.

On Wednesday, IIT Bombay’s Board of Governors constituted a 10-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death. The panel includes faculty members, students, a retired IAS officer, a former vigilance official and a psychiatrist.

Prof Doolla Sent On Leave

Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who has been named in an FIR alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial inquiry, sources said. The committee is also likely to examine his role in the events preceding Wakode’s death.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is separately investigating the case. Police have said the probe is being conducted “diligently and impartially, exploring all possible angles” and have appealed against speculation or the circulation of unverified information.

Caste-Discrimination Allegations Surface

Wakode’s parents have alleged that he faced caste-based slurs and have sought the arrest of Doolla and IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare. IIT Bombay’s Faculty Forum has denied that Wakode had submitted any complaint of caste-based discrimination to the institute’s SC/ST cell or administration.

Also Read: IIT Bombay Student Death: Renowned Physicist H C Verma Raises Alarm Over ‘Unethical’ Exam Culture

CCTV footage from the examination hall has also emerged amid the investigation. The footage reportedly captures Wakode’s movements before Doolla approached him and took him out of the examination hall after he was allegedly found using a phone.

With inputs from PTI

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Why did IIT Bombay postpone its mid-semester examinations?

IIT Bombay postponed its mid-semester exams originally scheduled for September 26 and 27 to October 10 and 11 following an ongoing row over the death of BTech student Sahil Wakode. The additional time will allow a newly formed committee with equal student representation to draft a revised, student-friendly Standard Operating Procedure for exam invigilators regarding academic misconduct.

What circumstances led to the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode?

Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18. Hours earlier, he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. While the incident sparked student protests and allegations of caste discrimination against a faculty member, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch is actively investigating the case.

What actions have been taken against faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla?

Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who was named in an FIR alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave by IIT Bombay to facilitate an impartial inquiry. An investigative committee is expected to examine his role in the events preceding Sahil Wakode’s death, alongside a separate investigation by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

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