Mumbai: The situation at IIT Bombay appeared to ease on Monday after Director Professor Shireesh Kedare held a more than three-hour open house with students, addressing questions and concerns raised amid the ongoing campus controversy.
The student body said the interaction helped de-escalate tensions on campus, with the Director addressing the issues raised by students and providing assurances on several key concerns.
Key takeaways from the interaction:
Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla’s removal from the Dean’s post: The Director clarified that the action is limited to his role as Dean and is intended to facilitate a fair and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Support for faculty: The Director acknowledged concerns raised by faculty members and assured them that IIT Bombay would continue to stand by its faculty, including Prof. Doolla, during the investigation.
Action against cheating: The institute reiterated that it would continue taking action against cheating and academic misconduct.
Trending Stories
Student mental health: The institute said it would work towards addressing mental-health concerns by looking at the root causes of the problems faced by students.
Student participation: The Director assured students that student representatives would be included in decisions that directly affect them.
The student body said it was satisfied with the conclusions and assurances given during the open house and that the interaction had helped diffuse tensions on the campus.
The developments come after days of protests at IIT Bombay following the death of 20-year-old BTech student Sahil Wakode.
Students had raised concerns over mental-health support, academic pressure and the institute’s handling of issues surrounding the incident.
With the situation now reportedly easing, normal academic activity, including lectures, is expected to resume on campus.
The student body also maintained that while the controversy has taken on a wider political dimension outside the institute, the immediate focus for students should remain on their academic responsibilities and allowing the legal process to take its course.
The students said they had spoken up during the controversy because they believed that only one perspective was being presented publicly, leaving the wider discussion incomplete.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death and the issues raised in connection with the case remain subject to due process.
