IIT Delhi Faculty Forum backs IIT Bombay Prof Doolla after student’s death

The IIT Delhi Faculty Forum on September 21 expressed solidarity with IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla following the death of an IIT Bombay student, saying allegations made against the faculty member had been raised publicly without credible evidence.

The faculty forum observed a two-minute silence and expressed condolences to the deceased student’s family before issuing a statement defending Doolla, who it said was performing his duties during an examination in accordance with IIT Bombay’s guidelines.

The forum said Doolla had been “simply discharging his duties” during the examination and condemned what it described as attempts to tarnish his reputation.

It also raised concerns among faculty members over the conduct of examinations and evaluations, as well as the maintenance of academic integrity, in the wake of the circumstances at IIT Bombay.

The forum appealed to students, their families and the wider public to support faculty members in carrying out their responsibilities and maintaining fairness and integrity across the IIT system.

It further criticised what it described as “mob-driven behaviour” on IIT campuses, saying such conduct appeared to have influenced decision-making at various institutions in recent times and could have wider consequences for the education system.

The Faculty Forum also called on IIT Bombay to extend all necessary institutional and personal support to Doolla and his family, including legal and financial assistance where required. It said IIT Delhi faculty members would also extend support to the professor and his family.

The statement comes against the backdrop of the death of an IIT Bombay student, which has triggered discussion and allegations concerning events surrounding the student’s academic circumstances and the role of faculty members.

The IIT Delhi Faculty Forum, however, said that allegations against Prof Doolla had been made publicly without credible evidence and maintained that he was carrying out his examination-related responsibilities under institutional guidelines.

The forum’s statement did not seek to dismiss the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. Instead, it focused on the need for due process, institutional support for faculty and the preservation of academic standards while the circumstances surrounding the incident are examined.

The forum’s intervention is also significant amid wider concerns raised by faculty members about how protests, public pressure and institutional decision-making can affect examination and evaluation processes in higher education.

Further details on the circumstances surrounding the student’s death and any institutional or official inquiry would be necessary to establish the facts of the case.