Kolkata, September 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Amid the ongoing controversy at IIT Bombay following the death of a second-year student, IIT Kharagpur Director Prof. Suman Chakraborty has reached out to students with a message urging them to approach examinations with confidence and not allow academic setbacks to define their lives.
Prof. Chakraborty shared a video message on X along with a letter addressed to students ahead of examinations at the institute.
“An exam is indeed important, but it is not bigger than you. A grade is important, but it does not define you,” he said.
He acknowledged that students may sometimes perform better than expected, while at other times an examination may not go as planned despite sincere preparation.
“Please do not catastrophise such a moment. A poor exam is not a poor life. A disappointing grade is not a verdict on your ability,” Prof. Chakraborty said.
He advised students to prepare sincerely, get adequate sleep, eat properly and maintain mental stability before appearing for examinations. He also urged them to support friends and enter examination halls with confidence and honesty.
“Life has an extraordinary ability to give us opportunities to rebuild ourselves,” he said, adding that some of the strongest people are those who learn to rise after setbacks.
Prof. Chakraborty also encouraged students facing difficult situations to seek help rather than dealing with the pressure alone.
“Do not carry a difficult moment alone, simply because you believe you are expected to be strong,” he said, assuring students that the institute would stand by them and protect their dignity in genuinely difficult circumstances.
In his letter, he reminded students that an examination evaluates what they write on a particular day and does not determine who they are or what they may become.
He urged them to trust their preparation, remain calm, tackle one question at a time and give their “honest best”.
The message comes against the backdrop of the death of 22-year-old IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, which has triggered an agitation by a section of students.
The institute had said that the student faced an examination-related disciplinary issue and that he had been counselled and assured that his academic career would not be affected.
Wakode’s parents subsequently registered an FIR against the institute and a faculty member, alleging casteist remarks. The Powai Police are investigating the matter.
The developments at IIT Bombay have also sparked wider discussion among students and academic communities about examination pressure, student support systems and the handling of academic disciplinary matters.
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