IIT Bombay Opens 30 Counsellor Posts Amid Student Crisis

IIT Bombay has announced 30 counsellor posts following a student’s death, aiming to strengthen mental health support and improve student welfare on campus

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has opened up a vacancy of 30 counsellors on an ad hoc basis after the suicide death of the second year BTech student Sahil Wakode. This recruitment drive has been initiated by the institution in order to enhance the  mental health system.

The IIT Bombay’s Student Wellness Centre (SWC) would be recruiting 26 student counsellors and four senior counsellors. Those who would be hired for this position could join on or before October 15, 2026. Applications for the position would close on October 17, while interviews would take place between October 12 and 18.

The campaign comes in light of the death of Sahil Wakode who died on September 18. The death of the student came hours after he was said to have been caught using a mobile phone in the middle of the semester exam. Students were seen protesting against the pressure of academics, mental health counseling and lack of facilities.

Students were seen arguing that the Student Wellness Centre, which has very few counsellors, is not enough for almost 14,000 students studying different undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs.

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In order to qualify for the student counsellor posts, the candidates should have an MA or MSc in Psychology, specializing in clinical, counselling, or social psychology, with 55 per cent marks or an equivalent grade. The candidates should have a minimum of two years’ experience in this field post the qualifying degree. For senior counsellors, a minimum of 10 years’ experience is required.

Working experience with adolescents and youth, residential educational institutes and crisis cases will also be regarded as a plus. Linguistic and gender diversity will also be taken into account by the institute while selecting the candidates, with the preference being given to those having knowledge of Indian languages along with English and Hindi.

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The recruiting process is part of the overall strategy of IIT Bombay towards improving student welfare. There have been announcements about recruiting another associate dean for student welfare and student wellness secretaries in the hostels at the institute.

Such initiatives have become more common as a result of increased recognition of the significance of making mental health services easily available for university students. The success of such programs largely depends on having qualified specialists and adequate counseling as well as creating a conducive atmosphere on campus for seeking assistance.