IIT Bombay Director Signs 18-Point Student Charter After Three-Day Protest

IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare has signed an 18-point charter drawn up by protesting students, bringing an end to a three-day sit-in near the institute's main gate. The document was signed after a lengthy meeting between the administration and student representatives on Sunday night.

The protest followed the death by suicide of a student who was allegedly caught cheating in an examination. The institute had said in a statement on September 19 that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.

Among the charter's central demands is the immediate suspension of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, along with action against any other individuals found culpable once an inquiry is complete. Students have also asked for a public apology over what they call defamatory and selectively disclosed details about the student, Sahil Wakode, in a LinkedIn post.

On accountability, the charter seeks an Open House before September 22 with the Director, Deans and other senior administrators present, and weekly updates on progress. It also states that the Director, Dean AP and Dean SA should step down if the specified demands are not met within a month.

An independent committee has been demanded to examine the student's death and the hospital's response, with an interim report due by September 30 and public conclusions by October 15. The charter also calls for fair and prompt compensation and continued institutional support for four families who recently lost a family member.

On academic governance, students want equal representation and voting rights on relevant academic and non-academic committees, without an administrative veto, and a review of unilateral administrative decisions affecting student culture that were taken without prior consultation. They have asked for a committee to frame clear complaint mechanisms, timelines and rules for complaints against professors.

For disciplinary proceedings, the charter seeks mandatory involvement of student mentors, companions and buddies, along with proper documentation when students face malpractice cases.

Mental health provisions form a large part of the document. Students have demanded one counsellor for every 250 students, at least one counsellor per hostel, and regular audits of the Student Wellness Centre. They also want a round-the-clock on-call psychiatrist, qualified night-shift emergency doctors, mental health training for staff and a feedback system.

Other demands include mandatory mental health sensitisation workshops every two months, such training during onboarding for professors and staff who interact with students, and at least 20 hours a week set aside by the Dean SA office for one-on-one student interactions, with written responses within 18 hours.

The charter asks that second- and third-year students be allotted adjacent rooms to preserve existing hostel wing networks, and proposes a transparent institute-wide portal where student complaints and administrative responses are publicly accessible. A permanent task force of students, faculty and experts would study the causes of student distress and publish semester-wise reports.

Finally, students have sought a written assurance that no disciplinary, financial, legal, hostel-related or indirect action will be taken against those who took part in the peaceful protest.