IIT Bombay Student Dies by Suicide After Exam Incident; 400+ Students Protest

A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) died by suicide on Friday, September 18, 2026, hours after being found using a mobile phone during an examination.

The student's death was followed by a protest involving more than 400 students on the Powai campus. IIT Bombay subsequently postponed its ongoing mid-semester examinations.

What Happened?

According to an official statement from IIT Bombay, the student was found using a mobile phone during an examination.

The institute said the student had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.

IIT Bombay said that no disciplinary action had been initiated against the student at that point.

The institute said the instructor and Head of Department spoke with and counselled the student. According to IIT Bombay, he was assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.

The student later returned to his hostel room, where he was subsequently found dead.

What Is Confirmed?

• IIT Bombay confirmed the student's death.
• The institute said he had been found using a phone during an examination.
• IIT Bombay said the examination paper had been uploaded to ChatGPT.
• The institute said no disciplinary action had been initiated.
• Authorities were looking into the circumstances surrounding the death.

Why Did Students Protest?

Following the student's death, more than 400 students gathered near the institute's main building and staged a protest.

Students raised concerns about the administration's handling of serious incidents on campus and sought accountability and transparency.

Different Accounts Emerge

IIT Bombay has stated that no disciplinary action had been initiated and that the student was assured the examination incident would not affect his academic career.

However, some student accounts reported by media outlets alleged that the student faced the possibility of disciplinary consequences.

That account has not been independently established and differs from the institute's official statement.

Did the Exam Incident Cause the Death?

The available reporting establishes that the examination incident occurred earlier on the same day and that the student's death occurred later.

However, no causal connection has been established between the examination incident and the student's death.

IIT Bombay said the circumstances surrounding the death were being examined by the appropriate authorities.

Examinations Postponed

Following the campus protest, IIT Bombay postponed its ongoing mid-semester examinations, according to reports from students present at the demonstration.

The institute also said