IIT Kharagpur has suspended Seema Singh, a faculty in the Department of Humanities and Social Science, who was found passing casteist remarks and abusing her students. While the incident had happened towards the end of April, the suspension was finalised after a fact-finding committee of the IIT submitted its report.
During her lecture, the faculty member was heard calling the students 'bl**dy b****rds' multiple times. She had also threatened them with zero attendance, zero internal marks and told a student that their grandfather's death is no excuse for them to miss their class. Following this, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has taken suo motu cognisance against her. "Her remarks have hurt the sentiments of many Indians, specifically the SC community and the commission has decided to investigate/ inquire into the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India, " the notice read.
Reports say that an inquiry will follow Singh's suspension. Following the controversial lecture, more than 1,000 alumni of various IITs across the country had written to the director of IIT Kharagpur, asking him to immediately terminate a professor. They also asked Singh to issue an unconditional apology for her behaviour during the lecture.
