Fan Replacements, Play Areas & More: IIT Bombay Steps Up Student Wellness Push After Sahil Wakode Death

Last Updated:October 07, 2026, 2:20 PM IST

The institute has urged students to participate in surveys and provide feedback to help determine which of the proposed solutions would be most suitable.

The exercise will look at possible play areas, resident constraints and access hours at IIT Bombay hostel. (File Photo)

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is preparing a roadmap on several fronts, including student well-being, and has asked students to actively participate in the initiatives being rolled out on campus.

In a recent communication issued on behalf of IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare, the institute said it has undertaken several measures over the last few months to strengthen student wellness and improve campus life. The institute has also urged students to participate in surveys and provide feedback to help determine which of the proposed solutions would be most suitable.

As part of its wellness measures, IIT Bombay said it has been working with manufacturers and external experts on solutions that can be retrofitted in hostels, as well as on other measures aimed at student well-being and the prevention of self-harm.

One of the key measures under consideration is the replacement of hostel fans. The institute said several tests and discussions with manufacturers have been carried out and options have now been identified. A survey has been floated to seek students’ feedback before a final decision is taken.

Work on creating play areas in hostels is also being taken forward. Consultations have already been held with General Secretaries and Sports Councillors of some hostels, while inputs from other hostels will be collected through surveys involving G-Secs, Sports Councillors and wardens. The exercise will look at possible play areas, resident constraints and access hours.

The latest update also outlines a series of measures that IIT Bombay says have progressed over the last 10 days.

The plan to rebuild the student wellness support structure is ready, with implementation expected to begin in phases from next week. The institute is also identifying committees where student participation can be increased.

On the mess system, IIT Bombay said the Flexi-Mess implementation structure is ready, with specifications yet to be finalised. A survey on the existing mess arrangements has already been completed, and its findings will be used to determine aspects of the Flexi-Mess system. The institute is also moving towards re-tendering and appointing caterers.

The institute said the options for replacing hostel fans are ready, with the final decision pending feedback from the student survey.

It has also reviewed proposed deterrent measures against unfair means in examinations, with a first draft ready for discussion and a decision at the emergency Senate meeting this week. The end-semester examination schedule has also been reviewed, with an alternate timeline being worked out.

At the IIT Bombay campus, meetings have also been held with Heads of Departments to discuss greater student participation at the department level and the support structure required for student well-being.

The institute has further identified the need for student well-being secretaries at the hostel level, with the process of finalising the mechanism currently underway.

The latest communication comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny over student welfare at IIT Bombay following the death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year student who died by suicide on September 18.

Wakode was found hanging in his hostel room hours after he was allegedly caught using his mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. His parents have alleged caste discrimination and have sought action against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare. The Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death and has recorded statements of students, faculty members and institute staff.

The issue triggered sustained protests by students, who raised demands concerning accountability, student welfare, grievance redressal and mental health support. IIT Bombay had earlier agreed to an 18-point charter submitted by protesting students.

IIT Bombay’s latest communication places student wellness, participation and preventive measures at the centre of its immediate roadmap, while seeking students’ inputs before implementing several of the proposed changes.

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What student wellness and safety measures is IIT Bombay implementing following Sahil Wakode’s death?

Following the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode, IIT Bombay has initiated several wellness measures, including testing and retrofitting hostel fans, creating hostel play areas, updating student support structures, and preparing a Flexi-Mess system.

Why is the Mumbai Crime Branch investigating IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode’s death?

The Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death by suicide of 20-year-old Sahil Wakode on September 18, 2026, after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during an exam. His parents have alleged caste discrimination and harassment by a professor.

What actions did IIT Bombay take after student protests regarding Sahil Wakode’s death?

In response to three days of student protests following Sahil Wakode’s death, the IIT Bombay administration agreed to an 18-point charter of demands submitted by the students. The institute also initiated an open house dialogue and began rolling out a comprehensive student wellness and safety roadmap.

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