IIT-Bombay Removes Dean Suryanarayana Doolla Amid Protests Over Student Death

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay removed Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his post as Dean of Administrative Affairs with immediate effect on Monday, September 21, 2026, following escalating student protests over the death of 20-year-old B.Tech. student Sahil Wakode. Wakode, a second-year student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found hanging in his room at Hostel Number 4 on the Powai campus on the evening of September 18.

The administrative removal was communicated to students via email by IIT-Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare. Demonstrators, however, maintained their protests throughout Monday, contending that relief from an administrative post was insufficient and demanding Professor Doolla's complete suspension as a faculty member. Police have registered a First Information Report naming Doolla under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, with the Crime Branch conducting an ongoing investigation.

In the wake of mounting campus agitation, IIT-Bombay issued a public apology concerning statements released in an earlier communication about the circumstances preceding Wakode's death. The institute acknowledged that given the ongoing police investigation, it was inappropriate to characterize details regarding events before they had been formally established through proper investigative channels.

In its initial statement on Saturday, the institute had asserted that Wakode was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination to seek answers. The institute maintained at the time that the student had been spoken to by the instructor and department head, counselled, and assured that no disciplinary action would be initiated against his academic career. Protesting students heavily criticized that initial disclosure as insensitive and damaging to the student's reputation before a thorough inquiry could take place.

Wakode's father, Ravindra Wakode, has alleged that his son faced systemic caste-based mocking and institutional harassment from a faculty member and the administration. The family's complaint served as the legal basis for the police FIR naming Professor Doolla. In response to the allegations of caste discrimination, IIT-Bombay stated that the student had never filed a formal complaint with the institute's SC/ST Students and Staff Cell.

Ministry of Education directives mandate that IITs operate on-campus Student Wellness Centres, full-time counselling facilities, and early distress identification protocols. UGC regulations mandate Anti-Discrimination Officers and Student Grievance Redressal Committees with mandatory SC/ST/OBC and female representation to protect students from marginalisation.

Between 2019 and 2023, 1,068 SC and 408 ST students were recorded among 8,139 total dropouts from IITs, reflecting systemic academic and social stress among marginalised groups. Students subject to academic disciplinary decisions are entitled to due process and can file an appeal within 10 working days on grounds of procedural error, new evidence, or discrimination.

The tragedy marked the third unnatural death recorded at IIT-Bombay within a seven-month period, following the deaths of student Naman Agarwal in February and Sohil Rajkumar Sangwan in July. The recurrent fatalities have intensified nationwide scrutiny regarding academic stress, institutional support structures, and student wellbeing across premier engineering institutions.

Faculty bodies across premier technical institutes have mobilized in defense of Professor Doolla, arguing that he acted strictly within official institutional procedures as a course instructor and invigilator. The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum organized a campus march on Monday from the Nandan Nilekani Main Building to express solidarity, clarifying that Doolla had merely been relieved of administrative duties and remained a faculty member in good standing.

Similarly, the IIT Madras Faculty Association issued a formal statement supporting Professor Doolla while extending condolences to Wakode's family. Led by Professor Ethayaraja Mani, the association argued that academic staff must be able to uphold examination integrity without facing personal vilification. The statement urged that inquiries be conducted transparently through due process, cautioning against premature media trials.

Amid continuing campus unrest, Director Shireesh Kedare signed an 18-point charter of demands late Sunday night following discussions with student representatives. Security personnel and police presence were heightened around the Powai campus, where Youth Congress protesters were detained outside institute gates.

The institute's Board of Governors scheduled an emergency meeting to address the crisis, preceding a moderated Open House session at the Convocation Hall where students submitted structured queries to engage directly with institute leadership regarding campus reforms and inquiry updates.