The march comes amid protests on the IIT Bombay campus following a student’s death on Friday. The Faculty body on Monday defended Doolla, who has been named an accused in the case.
Amid outrage over the death of an IIT Bombay student, who was reportedly caught using ChatGPT during an exam, the institute’s Faculty Forum has expressed solidarity with Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who is at the centre of the case.
The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum also held a campus march on Monday. All 750 faculty members were expected to join the march in support of Doolla, who has been named as an accused in the suicide case of BTech student Sahil Wakode.
The march comes amid protests on the IIT Bombay campus following Wakode’s death on September 18. The student was found dead in his hostel room hours after he was allegedly caught using ChatGPT during an examination.
Faculty Forum Defends Doolla
The Faculty Forum on Monday issued a press release defending Doolla and disputing reports that he had been suspended from IIT Bombay.
“The Faculty Forum of IIT Bombay stands strongly with our colleague Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla. We would like to clarify that:- 1. Contrary to several reports in the media, Prof. Suryanarayana Dolla has not been suspended from his service from IIT Bombay, and continues to be a member of the faculty of the institute in good standing. 2. We are given to understand that he has been temporarily relieved from his duties as Dean (Administrative Affairs) of the institute, to enable independent unbiased investigation of the unfortunate incident on 18th September 2026,” the Forum said.
The forum further described Doolla as a distinguished faculty member who has received several accolades, including two awards for excellence in teaching based on student feedback. It also highlighted his work as Dean (Student Affairs) and his contribution to student welfare initiatives.
“We are distressed by the vilification of our colleague’s reputation by false and misleading reports that have appeared in the media,” the statement further read.
The press release was issued in the name of Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant, President of the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum. The Faculty Forum is a formal body comprising around 750 institute faculty members and provides a platform for them to express views on matters concerning IIT Bombay and other institutions.
The professor was suspended from the deanship earlier in the day, following protests on the campus over the death of Wakode. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is now investigating the case. Doolla was named as an accused in an FIR registered after the student’s parents alleged harassment and caste-based discrimination by campus authorities.
IIT Bombay Student Suicide Case
The suspension came amid sustained demands from protesting students for accountability over the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.
The Mumbai Police transferred the case to the Crime Branch on Saturday night, and officials said the professor and others were likely to be questioned as part of the investigation.
