A second-year student from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay died by suicide in his hostel room in Powai. Earlier in the day, invigilators found the student using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination, where he had reportedly uploaded question paper details onto the generative AI tool ChatGPT to retrieve answers. Following the discovery, the student met with the course instructor and the Head of Department before returning to his accommodation, where he was subsequently found dead.
According to an official statement issued by the IIT Bombay administration, no formal disciplinary action or academic penalty was initiated against the student prior to the incident. The institute stated that faculty members held a counseling conversation with the student, assuring him that the examination breach would not permanently damage or adversely affect his ongoing academic career. In its message expressing grief over the loss, the administration offered condolences and mental health support services to classmates, friends, and faculty members impacted by the tragedy.
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The news of the student’s death triggered protests across the campus, with hundreds of students gathering outside the main administration building. Demonstrators demanded accountability regarding the handling of academic pressure and student well-being. Following a late-night discussion with the institute director, the administration agreed to postpone the ongoing mid-semester examinations as local police authorities and internal committees conduct a formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death.
