SC asks UGC details of action taken on caste discrimination, set up of equal opportunity cells in higher institutions

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the University Grants Commission to furnish details regarding the setting up of equal opportunity cells in higher education institutions. The top court also sought details of complaints received for caste discrimination, and action taken on them.

Hearing a plea regarding caste discrimination in higher education institutions, the Supreme Court directed the UGC to collate details regarding the establishment of equal opportunity cells on campuses. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan sought the details after senior advocate Indira Jaising highlighted the plight of students from scheduled communities studying in higher institutions. The bench noted the sensitive nature of the issue and said they would hear the matter periodically “to find out a mechanism that would translate the 2012 Regulations into a reality”, Live Law reported.

The plea was moved by the parents of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi, students of India’s premier institutions who allegedly died by suicide owing to caste discrimination in their institutions. Jaising said as many as 115 suicides have taken place in IITs alone between 2011-24.

While counsel representing UGC informed the Court that new regulations have been formulated to prevent issues of caste discrimination in institutions, the bench directed the Union body to place them on record. 

Radhika Vemula and Abeda Salim Tadvi, mothers of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi respectively, moved a PIL in 2019 seeking permanent measures to prevent caste-based discrimination in institutions. The petitioners said there is rampant prevalence of caste discrimination against members of the SC/ST community on campuses, and present norms are inadequate. The petitioners argued present regulations do not properly address the occurrence of caste-based discrimination.