UGC wants websites to show cases of discrimination

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all its affiliated universities and colleges to maintain an official page on their websites wherein discrimination cases, especially those against SC/ST and dalit students, can be lodged and maintained. The initiative has been taken following the suicide of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula who hung himself in the hostel of Hyderabad Central University in January.

As per the order, “officials/faculty members should desist from any act of discrimination against SC/ST students on grounds of their social origin.” The order further states that “the university/college should develop a page on their website for lodging such complaints of caste discrimination by SC/ST students and also place a complaint register in the Registrar/Principal office for the purpose. If any such incident comes to the notice of the authorities action should be taken against the erring official/faculty members promptly.”

The UGC has further reminded the universities/colleges that it had issued letters in the past with similar instructions aimed at curbing suicide of dalit students on the campuses but there had been no action by the incumbent, hence the reminder was being sent with the expectation that it would be put into effect this time round.

The order issued by Dr Jaspal Sandhu, secretary, UGC has also asked universities/colleges to ensure that no official/faculty members indulge in any kind of discrimination against any community or category of students with a request to make official/faculty members more sensitive while dealing with above such incidents of caste discrimination and to send an Action Taken Report to UGC as and when the incident occurs.

Vemula, a dalit research scholar, had committed suicide in the hostel of Hyderabad Central University on January 17 allegedly due to harassment by the university officials who had suspended him and five other dalit scholars.