# IIT Kharagpur director’s message after IIT Bombay student death

2026-09-20T21:08:31+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

IIT Kharagpur director Suman Chakraborty has urged students not to let exams or grades define them, in a video message posted on September 20. The message comes days after the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who was found dead in his hostel room on September 18 hours after being caught using ChatGPT during an examination. Chakraborty said, "An exam is indeed important, but it is not bigger than you. A grade is important, but it does not define you." He also said the institute would stand by students in difficult situations. Meanwhile, protests continued at IIT Bombay, where students gathered on Sunday night for a three-hour meeting with director Shireesh Kedare. The administration signed a list of 18 demands, including suspension of professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was the invigilator, and an independent investigation. The Board of Governors is scheduled to meet on Monday. The faculty forum has come out in support of Doolla, saying he was discharging his duties. At least 150 police personnel were deployed on campus to manage the situation, and the Mumbai crime branch has taken over the investigation.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

India Today and Times of India report the IIT Bombay administration's version neutrally: no disciplinary action was taken against Wakode, and the director met protesting students. Telangana Today, in its editorial, leads with the Dalit identity of the student and alleges caste-based harassment, a detail the other sources omit or do not foreground. The editorial also frames the death as part of a systemic failure, while news reports focus on the immediate protests and institutional response. The caste angle, if confirmed, would shift the debate from academic pressure to discrimination. The Board of Governors meeting on Monday will be the first test of whether the institute addresses the demand for an independent probe.

## Coverage

- indiatoday.in (neutral report) <https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/iit-kharagpur-director-chakraborty-says-exams-grades-do-not-define-students-iit-bombay-case-2999101-2026-09-20>
  Reports director's message and Wakode's death without editorialising
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/iit-bombay-death-institute-director-meets-protesting-students-signs-list-of-18-demands/articleshow/134374550.cms>
  Reports funeral, police deployment, and investigation neutrally
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/iit-b-students-final-rites-completed-in-yavatmal-as-protest-continues-on-mumbai-campus-150-cops-deployed/articleshow/134374663.cms>
  Reports funeral, police deployment, and investigation neutrally
- telanganatoday.com (government critical) <https://telanganatoday.com/editorial-campus-suicides-will-we-ever-wake-up>
  Editorial blames systemic failure, highlights caste discrimination allegation

Tags: IIT Bombay, IIT-Kharagpur, Mumbai, Sahil Wakode, Shireesh Kedare, Suman Chakraborty
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