World · India Bureau
IIT Bombay alumni cite pattern of deaths, campus militarisation
Alumni of the prestigious institute have raised concerns about student welfare following multiple deaths in a single academic year, citing an increasingly restrictive campus environment during examination periods.
LSN India ·
A group of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay alumni has written to the institute's director, expressing alarm over the death of student Sahil Wakode and calling for it to be examined within a broader context of institutional challenges. The letter highlights that Wakode's death represents the fourth student fatality at IIT Bombay within a single year, signalling a concerning pattern that demands urgent institutional review.
The alumni have raised several systemic concerns, including what they describe as the progressive "militarisation" of campus spaces during examination periods. They contend that heightened security measures and restrictions on student movement during crucial academic phases may be contributing to elevated stress levels and a hostile campus environment.
The correspondence underscores longstanding tensions at India's premier technical institutes regarding student mental health support, academic pressure, and administrative responsiveness. Alumni argued that individual incidents cannot be viewed in isolation, but rather reflect deeper institutional failures in duty of care toward the student community.
The letter represents growing alumni activism regarding campus conditions and student welfare policies at IIT Bombay. The institute has faced recurring scrutiny over student safety and mental health infrastructure in recent years, with advocacy groups and former students increasingly demanding institutional reforms and greater transparency in addressing student distress.