IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has spoken out in support of Professor Doolla after the death of a student, saying that the faculty member should not be held responsible without an investigation or documented evidence.
The faculty forum president Prof Dr Rajkumar Pant said the institute had already explained the circumstances of the incident on Sept. 20. Professor Doolla was conducting an examination and found a student who was using a cell phone and attempting to answer questions using an AI tool, he said.
Pant said that, as per institute procedure, Professor Doolla immediately reported the matter to the Head of the Department.
The Faculty Forum president expressed concern about what he described as allegations being made against the professor and his family without any inquiry. He said there was no proof or documented evidence to establish claims that the professor had acted harshly with the student or made casteist remarks.
But Pant said, “Our concern is that without any investigation, he is being dragged into the matter and his family is being vilified,” he added.
The comments come as the student's death has touched off public debate and allegations about the examination. Pant said faculty members were deeply affected by the student’s death, but that the professor was not to be blamed solely for carrying out his responsibilities under institutional rules.
The Faculty Forum believed that the professor’s role during the examination was to enforce academic procedure and report suspected malpractice through the prescribed institutional channel.
VIDEO | Mumbai: IIT Bombay Faculty Forum president Prof Dr Rajkumar Pant, on the student suicide case, says, "On September 20, we clarified that our colleague, Professor Doolla, while invigilating an examination, found a student indulging in academic malpractice by using a mobile… pic.twitter.com/TeyRjlgtxZ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 22, 2026
Pant also said to avoid drawing conclusions before the facts are established through an appropriate investigation. He said allegations about the professor's conduct should not be treated as established facts in the absence of evidence.
The whole thing has reopened old questions about how schools react to allegations of academic malpractice, disciplinary procedures and student deaths. And this has raised questions about the need to investigate, and then get it on the list before assigning blame.
The Faculty Forum's statement does not in itself determine the reasons for the student's death or settle the allegations that are being raised publicly. Those questions would depend on the findings of any official inquiry or investigation.
The case is still being studied and the death of a student has caused concern in the institute and the broader public. The Faculty Forum has also recommended restraint in the attribution of blame and that Professor Doolla's actions during the examination should be taken into account in relation to the institute's own procedures.
