Protests broke out at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, one of the most prestigious engineering institutes in India, after a 20-year-old student allegedly died by suicide after he was caught cheating during an internal examination using an ChatGPT AI chatbot.
According to officials at IIT Bombay, the victim student was caught using a mobile phone in the examination hall on Friday, where upon further investigation, it was found that he had allegedly uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers.
The victim student’s body was found on Friday evening at his hostel residence in IIT Bombay campus in Mumbai of Maharashtra, hours after he was allegedly caught using unfair means. The IIT Bombay student death has led to subsequent protests by students of IIT Bombay who demanded resignation of the institute’s director.
The victim was a second year student of Department of Energy Science and Engineering.
“No disciplinary action was initiated against the student. The matter was also discussed with the student by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. The student subsequently returned to his hostel room. Later in the evening, he was found dead in his room. ,” said an official of IIT Bombay to AI FrontPage.
Recently, India has seen massive student protests following incidents of over 20 medical aspirant students ending their lives over question paper leak.
IIT Bombay released an official statement saying, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of a student. The Institute is extending support to the student’s friends, classmates, faculty members, and others affected by this tragic incident. The circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authorities.
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