- IIT Bombay introduces 24/7 mental health support, with two psychiatrists and a response team, while planning a student welfare app and grievance portal to strengthen campus support.
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has introduced round-the-clock mental health support for students and announced plans to establish a dedicated student welfare application and an online grievance redressal portal. The measures follow the death of student Sahil Wakode and growing calls for stronger student support systems on campus.
The institute has made two psychiatrists available 24 hours a day and formed a Health and Welfare Response Team comprising counsellors and mental health professionals. The team is intended to provide immediate assistance to students experiencing distress and respond to emergencies anywhere on campus.
Students can seek help by calling 8356810252 or emailing wellness @ iitb.ac.in. The administration has advised students facing emergencies to call the helpline rather than rely on email. An independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death is also underway.
As part of its wider student welfare plans, IIT Bombay is developing a dedicated welfare application and an online grievance portal through which students will be able to raise concerns and seek timely intervention. The institute has also proposed appointing student welfare representatives at both hostel and departmental levels.
The institute will review the functioning of its Departmental Academic Committees and examine the standard operating procedures followed by committees dealing with matters such as examination malpractice. A separate committee is being formed to assess these processes, with the aim of improving transparency, fairness and accountability in institutional decisions.
IIT Bombay is also reviewing common areas in hostels and other campus facilities. To improve student convenience, delivery services for essential items in hostels have been extended until 2 am.
The initiatives come amid demands for more accessible mental health services, transparent disciplinary procedures and effective grievance mechanisms. Through these measures, the institute aims to strengthen its student welfare framework and improve the support available to students facing academic or personal challenges.
