IIT BOMBAY EXAM HALL CCTV CLIP SPARKS QUESTIONS OVER PREMATURE PORTRAYAL OF DECEASED STUDENT

September 27, 2026

A CCTV clip purportedly showing IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode during an examination has triggered criticism from alumni, students and academics, who have questioned the circulation of the footage while the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.

The footage shows Wakode being approached by an invigilator during an examination on September 18 before leaving the hall. While police are examining allegations that he used a mobile phone during the examination, alumni groups have argued that the short clip, by itself, does not conclusively establish phone use or academic malpractice.

IIT Bombay had initially stated that Wakode was found using a mobile phone and had allegedly uploaded the examination paper to ChatGPT, but subsequently apologised for making comments about the circumstances preceding his death before they had been established through an investigation.

Wakode's parents have alleged caste-based discrimination and filed a police complaint naming an IIT Bombay professor. The allegations are being investigated by the Mumbai Crime Branch, which is examining CCTV footage, digital evidence and witness statements to reconstruct events before and after Wakode left the examination hall.

Alumni and academics have therefore called for the evidence to be assessed through the ongoing investigation rather than drawing conclusions from a partial video. The circumstances surrounding Wakode's death and the allegations against institute personnel remain under investigation.