IIT Bombay Suspends Prof Suryanarayana Doolla’s Deanship, Apologises For Earlier Statement On Sahil Wakode’s Death

The suspension follows an 18-point student charter, though protesters want stronger action against Doolla as a professor, not just as dean

PGurus Newsdesk

September 21, 2026

IIT Bombay suspended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla's deanship and apologised for its earlier account of the circumstances before student Sahil Wakode's death, as an FIR named him following unproven caste-harassment allegations

Wakode’s father has alleged caste-based harassment against Doolla in his police complaint, allegations that remain under investigation

IIT Bombay on Monday suspended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his role as Dean of Administrative Affairs with immediate effect and issued a formal apology, retracting its earlier account of the circumstances surrounding the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode. The decision, taken by Director Professor Shireesh B Kedare, came as the case moved to the Mumbai Crime Branch and an FIR named Doolla following a complaint filed by Wakode’s father. The institute also dismissed separate reports claiming Kedare himself had resigned as director.

What The Institute Is Now Saying

IIT Bombay acknowledged that its earlier communication, which had described Wakode as having used ChatGPT during an exam, had gone beyond what could be established while the circumstances of his death remained under investigation. “We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil,” the institute said, adding that the matter remains under investigation by the appropriate authorities.

The Allegations Against Doolla

Wakode’s father has alleged in his police complaint that his son faced caste-based harassment and casteist slurs from Doolla over the three months preceding his death. It is important to note these allegations form part of the FIR and are currently under investigation — they have not been established as fact by any court or inquiry. Doolla was the course instructor and was invigilating Wakode’s mid-semester examination between 11 am and 1 pm on September 18 when, according to the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum, he noticed the student using a smartphone without authorisation and reported the matter to institute authorities in line with Senate-approved academic policy.

Faculty Forum Defends Doolla

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum issued a statement backing Doolla, saying he was “discharging his duties in line with the institute’s Senate-approved academic policies currently in force” and expressing distress over what it called the tarnishing of his reputation, while also conveying condolences to Wakode’s family.

What Led To The Suspension

The suspension was one of 18 demands in a charter submitted by protesting students, which Kedare signed after meeting with them outside the campus gate for several hours on Sunday night. The charter also called for an independent investigation into Wakode’s death and broader reforms to disciplinary procedures. Protesters have said they want action against Doolla as a professor, not just his administrative deanship, meaning the current suspension falls short of their full demand. The institute has said it will discuss the remaining demands with its Board of Governors and communicate further decisions at an open-house meeting. No disciplinary action was taken against Doolla directly at this stage; the deanship suspension is administrative, and any further steps depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

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