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IIT Bombay agreed to 18 demands by students on Sunday following prolonged protests after a student’s suicide. Second-year engineering student Sahil Wakode fell to his death, making this the fourth such incident at IIT Bombay in seven months. College authorities signed the requests after students continued sit-in protests for three days. The demands included mental health reforms and a special committee to process complaints against professors.
The incident has triggered intense discussions on student well-being in famous institutions like IIT Bombay. Protesting students called for absolute reform and accountability by faculty and administration. Sahil Wakode’s death has highlighted the importance of mental health awareness as well as sensitisation of staff on campuses like IIT Bombay.
Read More: IIT Delhi Student Suicide Puts Campus Mental Health Systems Under Scrutiny
The Protesters Demands
The protesting students have laid down 18 demands for the IIT Bombay administration after Sahil Wakode’s suicide. These include suspension of the invigilating professor, an independent inquiry, mental health reforms, etc. We have listed their demands below, according to NDTV.
- Immediate suspension of the invigilating professor and others involved post-investigation
- Public apology by IIT Bombay for negative online remarks against Sahil Wakode
- Open House session with key faculty members
- Faculty Resignation if main demands are not met
- Independent Investigation of the case by external members
- Financial aid for all four suicide victims of IIT Bombay
- Student representation and voting rights on administrative and non-admin decisions
- Student review of key administrative decisions
- Special committee to process complaints and oversee professor misconduct
- Student involvement in malpractice and misconduct cases
- Counselling services and regular audit of student-wellness centres
- 24×7 mental health support, including an on-call psychiatrist, emergency doctors and regular feedback
- Mental Health training for staff of IIT Bombay
- Access to Dean’s office for one-on-one sessions with written responses in 18 hours
- Hostel Wing support to be maintained
- Public portal for student complaints and administrative response
- Task force with students, faculty and experts to study student distress and publish reports
- No action to be taken against protesting students on any grounds
Read More: IIT Madras Introduces PREM Initiative to Strengthen Student Mental Health Support
National Task Force
The Supreme Court of India had formed a national task force earlier this year to assess, research and provide systematic solutions to curb student suicides. The apex court had expressed disappointment in existing educational infrastructure, which does not pay attention to student well-being. It had also called for effective measures to be taken by all institutes of higher education to reform systems that violate student rights.
Need For Suicide Awareness
The act of being wrongly accused or shamed in front of peers can have tragic consequences, especially for sensitive people. This recent incident highlights an absolute need for mental health awareness and talks regarding suicide prevention. Governments and educational institutions need to work with mental health experts to lay basic frameworks for this. The focus must also be on why suicide is not a final solution and can often come with long-lasting consequences, especially for family and friends of the victim. There must also be sessions that empower students against such thoughts and create alternative solutions.
Read More: IIT Kharagpur Student Found Dead in Hostel Room: Mental Health Concerns Rise Again
Other Preventive Measures
In tragedies like Sahil Wakode’s, there are many narratives that can dilute the truth. In an age of AI and technological empowerment, higher institutions of learning like IIT Bombay must ensure CCTV cameras inside classrooms. The access must be transparent and also available to students in order to prevent misuse or hiding of the truth.
Family’s Role
As student suicides continue to rise mercilessly across India and the responsibility falls on educational institutes, families must also be held responsible for pressure on students. Online tools can be used to sensitise parents against pressurising their children in academics. Schools can also start by conducting such sessions for students after class 8, including awareness on suicide prevention and its negative impacts.
Read More: IIT Roorkee: First Campus-Wide Mental Health Policy
Conclusion
Sahil Wakode remains another proof as to why the Indian education system needs to be totally reformed. This will require joint collaborations between governments, faculty and teachers and of course parents and student representatives. As student suicides become a rising cause of worry in India, there has to be a collective effort to address and reform the existing system and its many loopholes.
References +
- https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/independent-probe-mental-health-reforms-no-action-against-protesters-inside-iit-bombay-students-18-point-charter-12074804
- https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/maharashtra/2026/Sep/21/iit-bombay-faculty-member-booked-for-caste-abuse-suicide-abetment
- https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/maharashtra/2026/Sep/19/iit-bombay-student-dies-by-suicide-after-being-caught-using-chatgpt-during-exam
