The Supreme Court, led by Justice A.S. Bopanna, has recently directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to provide details of the affirmative action taken to address caste discrimination on campuses.
Referring to the tragic cases of the petitioners, the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, the Court emphasized the need for sensitive handling of the issue to prevent such losses in the future.
Justice M.M. Sundresh suggested that the UGC should consult the petitioners while formulating its action plan. The Court also inquired about the UGC’s initiatives to integrate students from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities into the mainstream and highlighted the multiple challenges faced by these students.
The petitioners have urged the Court to ensure strict enforcement of the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, and establish “equal opportunity cells” in higher educational institutions to address students’ complaints of caste-based discrimination. They also called for universities to publish measures against caste discrimination on their websites.
The petition further requested the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to consider diversity and affirmative action as separate criteria, encouraging universities to foster inclusive environments. The petition highlighted a committee report that exposed the widespread existence of caste-based discrimination on campuses.
The tragic suicides of Rohith Vemula and Dr. Payal Tadvi were allegedly linked to such discrimination.
