IIT Bombay has advertised 20 ad hoc counsellor positions for its Flourishing Hub, signalling an urgent expansion of psychological support after the death by suicide of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode. The proposed intake includes 16 student counsellors and four senior counsellors, with joining possible as early as October 15.
The recruitment is part of the institute’s efforts to strengthen its Students’ Wellness Centre. The campus has around 14,000 students, according to the recruitment advertisement, and the counsellors will provide psychological counselling to students under the Flourishing Hub.
The institute has sought candidates with experience of working with adolescents and young adults, as well as in residential academic institutions and crisis-case management. The division between student and senior counsellors indicates that the proposed arrangement is intended to include both direct student-facing support and more experienced oversight, although the advertisement does not specify the precise responsibilities attached to each position.
The move follows student protests in which participants questioned the adequacy of mental-health support on campus. IIT Bombay has announced several student-welfare measures since last week, including the appointment of an associate dean responsible for overseeing student welfare.
The recruitment comes as the institute’s existing welfare and counselling systems face greater scrutiny from students. The immediate issue is not only the number of counsellors being appointed, but also how the expanded support will operate within a large residential academic institution where students may require assistance with routine psychological concerns as well as crisis situations.
The advertisement specifically mentions experience in handling crisis cases, suggesting that crisis response is among the capabilities the institute is seeking through the recruitment. However, the supplied recruitment details do not establish how many counsellors currently work with the Students’ Wellness Centre, how the new positions will be supervised, or whether they will be permanent appointments.
The positions are described as ad hoc roles, and the possible joining date of October 15 points to a compressed recruitment timeline. The institute has not, in the supplied information, announced the duration of the appointments, the selection schedule, or the operational protocols that will govern access to counselling services.
For students, the effectiveness of the expansion will depend on how quickly the positions are filled and how easily support can be accessed across the campus. The institute’s next steps include completing the recruitment process and placing the selected counsellors under the Flourishing Hub as part of its broader effort to strengthen student welfare services.
