IIT Bombay Student Found Dead In Hostel After Alleged ChatGPT Use During Exam

A 22-year-old Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay student died by suicide in his hostel room after police said he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during an examination.

The student, identified as Sahil Ravindra Wakode from Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district, was pursuing his second-year BTech in Energy Science and Engineering.

According to an IIT Bombay statement, Wakode allegedly uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT during the exam to seek answers.

The incident came to light after hostel mates noticed that Wakode was not responding from his room and alerted the authorities.

Police later reached the hostel and found him dead inside his room at Hostel Number 4 on the Powai campus on Friday. Officials said they found no suicide note at the scene.

The Powai police registered an accidental death report (ADR) and sent the body for a post-mortem examination. They are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death and other factors that may have contributed to it.

Wakode’s death is the third reported suicide at the IIT Bombay campus within seven months.

In February, a second-year student died by suicide in a campus hostel. In July 2026, another 20-year-old second-year BTech student died by suicide at the start of the new semester.

The latest incident has renewed attention on student welfare and academic pressures at educational institutions. IIT Bombay and police are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death.

Authorities are also working to establish the sequence of events before the incident and determine whether any additional factors contributed to the student’s death. The investigation remains ongoing.

Police said the investigation will consider available evidence, statements from students and staff, and findings from the post-mortem medical examination.

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