IIT Bombay Student Death After ChatGPT Exam Incident 2026

A second-year IIT Bombay student, Sahil Wakode, died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination. According to IIT Bombay, the student had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers. The death has since triggered protests on the Powai campus, with students demanding transparency and accountability.

What Happened During the IIT Bombay Exam?

According to an official statement from IIT Bombay, the student was found using a mobile phone during an examination on Friday.

The institute said:

• The student had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers.
• The matter was discussed with him by the instructor and Head of Department.
• IIT Bombay said no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.
• The student was counselled and reportedly assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
• He then returned to his hostel room.
• He was later found dead in his room.

The circumstances surrounding the death are being examined by the appropriate authorities.

IIT Bombay Students Protest After Student's Death

The student's death led to protests by students on the IIT Bombay campus. Students have questioned the handling of the examination incident and demanded greater transparency from the institute administration.

There are different accounts of what happened after the student was caught using the phone.

The allegations made by students have not been established as facts. IIT Bombay's official account says that no disciplinary action was initiated.

Mumbai Police Investigation Underway

The matter has also reached the police. Mumbai Police have registered an FIR in connection with the student's death and are recording statements as part of the investigation.

Police officials have said that the circumstances surrounding the death are being investigated. The investigation is expected to examine the events surrounding the examination incident, the subsequent interaction with institute officials and what happened before the student's death.

At present, the available reports do not establish that the examination incident was the sole cause of the student's death.

IIT Bombay Responds to the Incident

IIT Bombay expressed grief over the student's death and said it was extending support to his friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by the incident.

The institute has maintained that the student was counselled after being found using the phone and that he was assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.

The administration is also holding discussions with protesting students as the campus situation develops.

Why the IIT Bombay ChatGPT Incident Has Raised Questions

The incident has brought attention to several issues being discussed on the campus:

• Use of mobile phones and AI tools such as ChatGPT during examinations.
• How academic misconduct cases are handled.
• Communication between students and faculty after such incidents.
• Availability of support for students facing academic or personal difficulties.
• Transparency in the institute's response to serious incidents.

The protest is therefore not limited to the reported use of ChatGPT in an examination. Students are also seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding the death and the institute's broader approach to student welfare.

IIT Bombay Student Death: What Is Known So Far

The following timeline summarises the reported sequence of events.

The exact circumstances surrounding the death remain subject to investigation.

IIT Bombay Student Death FAQs