IIT Bombay delays mid-terms and forms panel after student suicide row

Exam Delay

IIT Bombay has postponed its mid-semester exams from September 26 and 27 to October 10 and 11 following student protests over the death of a second-year BTech student. The student was found dead in his hostel room on September 18 after a faculty member allegedly caught him using his smartphone during an exam. The exams will follow the timetable originally issued by the Dean on the rescheduled dates.

New Committee

A newly formed committee with student representation will use the extra time to create a new Standard Operating Procedure for exam invigilation. This group aims to set up a student-friendly approach for faculty dealing with suspected cheating, including step-by-step instructions. The IIT Bombay Senate must approve these revised rules before they take effect. Meanwhile, a separate 10-member committee led by Prof Ramesh Venkateswaran has started probing the case and must submit its report in a week.

Protests and Charges

The student's parents have accused Professor Satyanarayana Doolla and Director Shireesh Kedare of caste-based discrimination and using slurs, demanding their arrest. The parents also went on a hunger strike. Professor Doolla has been removed as the Dean of Administrative Affairs and charged with abetment to suicide and caste discrimination. However, IIT faculty members in Delhi and Madras have publicly supported him, stating he was only doing his job.