IIT Bombay student found dead in hostel; institute says had been caught using mobile phone during exam
An IIT Bombay student died by suicide after being caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during an examination. The institute stated that the student was counseled and faced no disciplinary action prior to the incident.
Why it matters
The incident highlights growing concerns regarding student mental health and the pressure of academic integrity in high-stakes educational environments.
A 22-year-old student of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay was found dead in his hostel room after he was allegedly caught using his mobile phone during an examination, police said on Saturday (September 19, 2026).
As per IIT Bombay, the second-year student of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering died by suicide on Friday (September 18, 2026) evening.
#IITBombay said a second-year Energy Science and Engineering student died by suicide after being caught using a mobile phone during an exam and uploading the question paper to ChatGPT for answers. The institute said no disciplinary action was taken and the student was counselled… pic.twitter.com/WDZY0hHzJJ
“Earlier in the day, during an examination, the student was found using a mobile phone in the exam hall. He had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers,” the institute said, adding that no disciplinary action was initiated against the student.
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