IIT Bombay Dean Backs Professor Amid Student Discrimination Row

The Dean of Faculty at IIT Bombay has mounted a robust defence of a professor at the centre of a controversy involving student Sahil Wakode, contending that the faculty member was executing his responsibilities appropriately. The statement comes as allegations of mistreatment and discriminatory conduct have surfaced against the professor. The faculty administration has challenged the narrative presented by Wakode's family, noting that no formal complaint regarding caste discrimination was filed through the institution's dedicated SC/ST grievance cell. The observation raises questions about why alternative grievance mechanisms were not utilised if concerns about discrimination existed. The case has drawn attention to complaint procedures at India's premier technical institutes and the mechanisms available to students facing alleged harassment. IIT Bombay has not elaborated on the specific nature of the professor's actions or the broader context of the student's allegations. The institute's response underscores the distinction between informal complaints and formal grievance filings through established institutional channels designed to address discrimination claims.