IIT Bombay faculty forum backs professor accused of abetting student suicide

The forum said Suryanarayan Doolla has not been suspended and continues to be a faculty member of the institute

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A forum representing around 750 Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay faculty members on Monday issued a statement backing Suryanarayan Doolla, a former dean of student affairs, accused of abetting suicide of a second-year BTech student. The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum said it “stands strongly” with Doolla.

IITB students continued their protest for a fourth day even as the institute convened a special meeting of its Board of Governors to discuss the issues raised by students. The institute’s director, Shireesh Kedare, on Sunday accepted a charter of demands. All lectures were cancelled on Monday and police detained students during a protest outside the campus.

The second-year BTech student was allegedly caught cheating in an exam on Friday. His parents named Doolla in a case filed with the police, alleging caste discrimination.

The students demanded Kedare’s resignation and an independent inquiry into the deaths of four students during his tenure. They asked for an independent committee comprising professors, student representatives and external members to examine the circumstances surrounding Friday’s suicide and that the findings be made public before September 30.

The forum said Doolla has not been suspended and continues to be a faculty member of the institute. It said he has been temporarily relieved of his duties as dean (administrative affairs) to allow an independent and unbiased investigation.

The forum called Doolla a distinguished faculty member who has received awards, including two for excellence in teaching based on student feedback. It added that during his tenure as dean (student affairs), he was involved in initiatives for the welfare of students.

The forum said it was “pained by the sad demise” of the student. It said it was distressed by what it described as false and misleading reports that had affected the reputation of a colleague. It added it is a formal body through which faculty members can voice their opinions.

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  Niraj Pandit is a journalist based in Mumbai who has spent than two decades working in reporting and editing. He is currently employed by Hindustan Times. At Hindustan Times he focuses on education, higher education, public policy and civic issues in Maharashtra. For years he has covered schools, universities, entrance exams, education reforms and government policies. He has also covered civic and infrastructure topics. Before joining Hindustan Times in 2022 he was with known Marathi newspapers such as Loksatta, Lokmat, and Maharashtra Times. He worked in reporting, editing and newsroom leadership roles. His work has included stories about education, science and technology government operations and public interest topics. He has reported on subjects such as IIT Bombay and the universities, school education, exam reforms and state education policies. His reporting has always aimed to create fact-based stories that make complicated public issues easy to understand.Read More

• Caste Discrimination
• Suicide

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