‘We don’t condone cheating’: IIT Bombay students call for reforms after Sahil’s death

NEW DELHI: Following the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, representatives of the student body released an official statement asserting their opposition to cheating and academic misconduct. They also emphasized the necessity of reforms to address systemic issues within the institute. The student body clarified that their protest against Sahil's death was not intended to justify academic misconduct, but rather to draw attention to ongoing problems at the institution and to seek substantial institutional reforms for the future.

They welcomed a recent open house meeting with the institute's Director and other administration members, which allowed students to express their concerns directly. The student representatives stood by Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who is facing an investigation, stating that they had not assumed his guilt and that the investigation should be conducted fairly and impartially.

They demanded that Doolla be removed from his administrative role as Dean of Administrative Affairs during the investigation as a precautionary measure to ensure the independence of the probe. The students emphasized that their demands should be addressed internally, and that the loss of Sahil should not be exploited by external political influences.