NEW DELHI: IIT Bombay is planning to replace ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans in its student hostels, with sources saying the move had been under consideration for the past two months and was recently finalised. Students also claimed that the first batch of wall-mounted fans had arrived on campus.The replacement was among the measures the institute had assured students it would undertake in July. It followed the death by suicide of another student.This comes amid an ongoing row over the death of 20-year-old BTech second-year student Sahil Wakode on the institute campus.Sahil was found dead in his hostel room on Friday after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during an examination. He had reportedly uploaded the question paper to an AI platform to seek answers.Sahil’s parents and some students alleged that he was taken out of the examination hall and threatened with suspension. IIT Bombay, however, said no disciplinary action had been initiated against him and that he was counselled and assured that the incident would not affect his academic career.IIT Bombay has maintained that no disciplinary action was initiated against Sahil and that he was counselled and assured that the incident would not affect his academic career.IIT Bombay director Shireesh Kedare also denied allegations of caste-based discrimination at the institute, saying students’ caste-related information is kept confidential and is not accessible to faculty or administrators. The institute’s SC/ST cell said it had not received any complaint from Sahil alleging caste discrimination.
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Meanwhile, IIT Bombay director Kedare also held a late-night, three-hour meeting on Sunday with students who had gathered in large numbers at the institute’s main gate to protest the death by suicide of BTech student Sahil Wakode, 20.During the meeting, which students recorded live, the institute administration discussed and signed a list of 18 demands put forward by the protesters. An institute official said the discussions would continue and that “due process will be followed”.The institute’s Board of Governors is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the issue, while an open house with students is also expected to be held the same day.