By Aarit Gupta
A 19-year-old second-year student at IIT Bombay died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was found using a phone during an examination. The incident led to a protest by more than 400 students on campus. The ongoing mid-semester exams were also postponed.
The student was studying in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. According to IIT Bombay, he was found using his phone during the exam and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to look for answers.
The institute confirmed that it had not initiated any disciplinary action against him. It said that the instructor and head of the department spoke to him after the incident and counselled him. The student was also told that the incident would not affect his academic career. He then returned to his hostel room, where he was later found dead.
News of his death spread across the campus on Friday night. More than 400 students gathered near the main building and protested against the administration’s handling of the situation. IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare met the students at around 10:30 pm. The gathering was later moved to the convocation hall.
Students have questioned the institute’s version of events of that day. While IIT Bombay has said that no disciplinary action was initiated, some students have alleged that the student was threatened with suspension. The allegation has not been independently confirmed.
The Powai police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, and the student’s body was sent for a post-mortem examination.
In a statement, IIT Bombay expressed its condolences and said it was providing support to the student’s friends, classmates, and faculty members. The institute said that the circumstances surrounding his death were being looked into by the appropriate authorities.
The incident has left many students questioning how such situations are handled on campus. The police investigation is ongoing, while the institute has postponed the mid-semester examinations.