IIT Bombay student dies by suicide after using ChatGPT during exam
A second-year student at IIT Bombay reportedly died by suicide after being caught allegedly using ChatGPT during an examination. Accounts differ on whether the student received counselling only or was threatened with suspension and eviction, with the latter allegedly causing him severe distress.
What happened
Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering department at IIT Bombay, was allegedly caught using his mobile phone to upload an examination question paper to ChatGPT during an exam on the Powai campus.
After the incident, institute officials counselled Wakode but stated no formal disciplinary action had been initiated. However, student protesters alleged he had been threatened with one-year suspension and eviction from campus. Wakode returned to his hostel room, where he was subsequently found dead.
Reported impact
Wakode was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room. No suicide note was found.
The death prompted protests on the IIT Bombay campus, with students challenging the institute's account of the incident and the disciplinary measures reportedly threatened against Wakode. This was the third reported student suicide at the campus in seven months.
Index analysis
Police registered an accidental death report and sent the body for post-mortem examination. The exact reason behind the student's death is still being investigated according to police statements.
Governance controls
IIT Bombay stated it was extending support to affected students, classmates, and faculty members, and that circumstances surrounding the death were being looked into by appropriate authorities.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.