IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare announced a Support Portal to improve student grievance handling during a four-hour open house. The move followed protests after the death of BTech student Sahil Wakode. Students had raised concerns over complaint mechanisms, academic pressure and campus issues. The institute will also form a committee to review their 18-point charter.

IIT Bombay To Launch Student Support Portal After Director Admits Grievance System Gaps Amid Sahil Wakode Protests | X

Mumbai: IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare acknowledged shortcomings in the institute’s grievance-redressal system and announced the launch of a Support Portal to streamline the submission and resolution of student complaints. The announcement was made during a nearly four-hour open house on Monday.

Open House Held After Three Days of Student Protests

The meeting followed three days of student protests demanding accountability over the death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. Wakode died by suicide hours after he was accused of using unfair means during an examination.

During the open house, students questioned the administration over its handling of their grievances and sought clarity on the implementation of their 18-point charter of demands.

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Director Signs Student Charter After Late-Night Meeting

The discussion followed IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare’s signing of the charter after a prolonged meeting with protesting students late on Sunday night. The open house was held in the institute’s Common Hall, with senior officials and representatives of the Board of Governors present to respond to students’ concerns.

Students alleged that the institute lacked an effective mechanism to receive, track and resolve complaints. Responding to the criticism, Kedare acknowledged that receiving grievances through email was not an efficient or streamlined system.

He said a student-support portal was already being developed and would soon be launched, allowing students to submit concerns and suggestions. The portal will also include a feedback mechanism through which students can receive regular updates on the status of their complaints.

Cheating punishment under review

During the interaction, students also raised concerns over the disciplinary action taken against those accused of using unfair means during examinations. The institute is likely to review the punishment framework for cheating cases and examine whether the existing measures need to be reconsidered, sources said.

The institute will constitute a committee to examine the 18 demands and prepare an implementation plan within a week. The administration will seek to resolve the issues within the one-month deadline set by the students.

Committee to Prepare Implementation Plan

“The committee will not comprise three random professors and three students merely for the sake of it. Its members will be sensitised people who understand the gravity of the matter,” Kedare said.

Under the proposed grievance-redressal mechanism, a professor will be assigned to handle different categories of complaints. Students will also be permitted to report matters anonymously, particularly when a complaint concerns the faculty member or official responsible for handling grievances.

During the open house, students raised concerns extending beyond academic pressure and the institute’s rigorous examination system. They also highlighted problems concerning hostel facilities, mental-health support, administrative accountability and other aspects of campus life.

The 18-point charter was prepared during the student agitation that followed the death of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode. It seeks immediate action in the case as well as wider reforms to IIT Bombay’s academic, disciplinary, mental-health and grievance-redressal systems.

It remained unclear following the open house whether students would withdraw their protest or continue the agitation until the institute announced concrete measures and a formal implementation schedule.

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