IIT Bombay Student Suicide Update: The General Secretary of the official IIT Bombay Student Council has distanced himself from the ongoing protest near the Powai campus’s main gate. He stated that the 10-12 protesting students do not represent the entire student community. However, the protesting students questioned the Council’s independence and asserted that they would continue their protest.
Student protests at the IIT-Bombay campus began on the night of September 18, following the suicide of 20-year-old B.Tech student Sahil Wakode. While most students ceased protesting after the institute held an ‘Open House’ on September 21 and assured them that their demands would be considered, one group continued its agitation near the main gate and subsequently launched a relay hunger strike.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Student Council General Secretary-while respecting the protesters’ right to dissent-stated that the 10-12 students agitating at the main gate do not represent the broader IIT Bombay student community. Alleging that some of the protesting students have ties to organisations with external vested interests, he remarked, “…their affiliations are their democratic right, but they do not grant this small group the authority to speak on behalf of the thousands of students at IIT-Bombay.”
The statement noted that 50 student representatives had formulated 18 demands based on concerns raised by over 1,000 students; these demands were shared with the institute on September 20, and the institute had expressed a willingness to act upon them. It further mentioned that the ongoing protest was affecting thousands of students not involved in the agitation, many of whom had classes, examinations, research work, and placement commitments.
The statement further noted that students are working actively and constructively with the administration on institutional reforms arising from this situation. “Student representatives are engaging with the concerned officials, identifying concerns, and working towards practical changes.
This constructive engagement is a vital part of the students’ response and should not be overshadowed by the actions of a small group,” it added. However, the protesting students (some of whom were from the humanities stream) reiterated that their protest has been peaceful and has not disrupted the institute’s day-to-day operations. They claimed that the IIT administration has failed to release a plan for implementing their demands within a set timeframe.
They alleged that the Student Council is not an independent body but rather an extension of the administration, leaving it vulnerable to external influence.
