IIT Bombay Student Dies By Suicide Hours After Being Caught Using ChatGPT In Exam

Mumbai: A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay died by suicide on Friday evening, hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination, according to the institute.

The student, from IIT Bombay’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering, had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers, the institute said in a statement issued after the incident.

According to IIT Bombay, no disciplinary action had been initiated against the student following the examination incident. The matter was discussed with him by the course instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.

The student subsequently returned to his hostel room. He was later found dead there, the institute said.

IIT Bombay said it was “deeply saddened” by the student’s death and that support was being extended to his friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by the incident. The institute added that the circumstances surrounding the death were being examined by the appropriate authorities.

Students Protest On IIT Bombay Campus

The student’s death triggered a protest on the Powai campus, with a section of students demanding accountability and greater transparency from the administration.

According to The Indian Express, more than 400 students gathered near the institute’s main building following the incident. Police personnel were deployed on campus as students and the administration held discussions.

Students also raised concerns about the broader issue of student deaths on the campus. The ongoing mid-semester examinations were reportedly postponed following the incident, according to students cited by The Indian Express.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Dattatray Nalawade said an investigation was underway and that the administration was holding discussions with protesting students.

What IIT Bombay Said About The Exam Incident

The institute’s account differs from some claims circulating among students following the death.

IIT Bombay said the student was found using a mobile phone during the examination and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT. It specifically clarified that no disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against him and that he had been counselled by the instructor and department head.

Some students, however, raised allegations about the circumstances surrounding the examination incident and demanded answers from the administration. These claims have not been independently established.

IIT Bombay has not attributed the student’s death to the examination incident. The institute has said that the circumstances surrounding the death are being investigated by the appropriate authorities.

The incident has renewed concerns on campus over student well-being and the pressures faced by students at premier educational institutions. IIT Bombay said it was providing support to those affected by the loss.