IIT Bombay Student Suicide Sparks Protests After Exam Incident

Sahil Wakode, a second-year student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, died by suicide on September 18, 2026, in his hostel room on the Powai campus. The incident occurred hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination, where he had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers. According to IIT Bombay, no disciplinary action was initiated against Wakode. The institute stated that the matter was discussed with him by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. Wakode then returned to his hostel room, where he was later found dead. Following his death, students staged a protest on the campus, demanding accountability and transparency from the administration. More than 400 students gathered near the main building, raising slogans and questioning the circumstances leading to the suicide. Some protesters alleged that Wakode had been threatened with a one-year suspension, which could have forced him to leave the hostel and delayed his course.