The recent spate of heartbreaking news headlines reporting Dalit students taking their own lives at premier educational institutes has once again brought to the forefront a deeply ingrained issue that has plagued Indian society for years: institutionalised caste-based discrimination. From KMC Warangal to IIT Bombay and IIT Madras, these tragic deaths have sparked discussions and outrage around the need for a more inclusive and safe space for marginalised students on campus. Among the wave of death, the one that has received widespread attention is 18-year-old Darshan Solanki, who jumped to his death from his hostel building at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) campus last month. "We don't need this Institute of Eminence (IoE) like IIT; what we need is an "Institute of Empathy" (which indeed calls for transformations at many levels)," asserted the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study (APPSC) cell of IITB in their statement.
However, as the blood of Solanki was still fresh on the campus grounds of IITB, IIT Kanpur was organising a talk titled 'Harvard vs IITs - Will social sciences control the hard sciences in India?'. The lecture invited speakers Mr Rajiv Malhotra and Ms Vijaya Viswanathan to discuss their book 'Snakes in the Ganga,' which explained the attack on IITs originating in the USA on the grounds that they privilege Brahmins and oppress Dalits and minorities. This talk incited public indignation and disgust, with many questioning the insensitivity and callousness of IIT Kanpur in organising such an event just weeks after the tragic death of a Dalit student at IITB. In response to IIT Kanpur's tweet announcing the lecture, Zoya Rasul, a Jamia Millia Islamia alumna, did not mince words as she wrote, "How shameless of you to schedule this discussion just a couple of weeks after a Dalit student ended his life in one of the IITs." Another person pointed out the irony, saying, "In the wake of what has been happening across the country, this is extremely disappointing." The APPSC cell of IITB pointed out that this was yet another example of the lack of support systems for students on campus.
While these events revealed the fissures within our education system, the APPSC cell levelled the grave accusation of "institutional murder" at IITB for its caste-based exclusion of students, and the #JusticeForDarshanSolanki hashtag blazed across social media. EdexLive approached a range of Dalit rights activists, students and academic leaders to peel back layers of institutionalised discrimination within our educational institutions and to gain a deeper understanding of the critical issues at play. So, what's happening?
Name, caste, and JEE scores: The deadly trifecta haunting students at premier institutes
The promised dream of a casteless environment on the IIT campus is shattered right from the start for marginalised students. Although caste is not supposed to be revealed on campuses, students allege that the campus and its people learn the caste of an individual through the inquiry of JEE scores and rank within days of admission. "JEE scores and rank are usually the first things that peers and teachers inquire about. Subsequently, marginalised students are frequently excluded from social groups and projects, and their opinions ignored," said an APPSC member. Students also allege that English proficiency, clothing, and skin colour become other points of identification for marginalised students.
Moreover, marginalised students are made to feel like they are undeserving of their place at the institution, with anti-reservation sentiments being commonplace. "The most prevalent and insidious form of casteism is the expression of anti-reservation sentiments, where marginalised students are made to feel that they do not deserve to be here and are dragging down the quality of education. On a more severe and blatant level, students are subjected to derogatory slurs and criticism for receiving any form of government support, such as being labelled as freeloaders for the scholarships they receive," added the APPSC members. It is important to note that education at IITs is highly subsidised, even for general-category students.
Prof TV Kattimani, Vice Chancellor (V-C) of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, emphasised the importance of institutions and educators taking action to support marginalised students. "It's essential that institutions and educators take proactive measures to support these students in bridging the gap. Most of them are first-generation learners from economically disadvantaged backgrounds," he said. Prof Kattimani further stressed that education is a fundamental right, and it is crucial to ensure equal opportunities for all students. "The right of a Dalit into an institute of higher learning is a right backed by the constitution. If these students were given equal opportunities, they would not need to rely on reservations. Therefore, addressing this issue should be a top priority," he stated. As a member of a tribal community himself, Prof Kattimani said he understands the struggles that marginalised students face, including the need to conceal their cultural and caste identity.
Anonymity or alienation: Choices of marginalised students on campuses
According to the APPSC member, marginalised students on campus are faced with the choice of either remaining anonymous or revealing their Dalit identity, which becomes their daily reality. "The most crucial aspect of campus life - forming friendships and bonds, is denied to these marginalised students. This is a modern form of untouchability and caste atrocity. The core idea behind this remains the same: Dalits should be segregated and relegated to live outside the village," expressed the member.
An alumnus of a prestigious engineering college shared their observations of casual casteism witnessed during their time at the institution, in schools and coaching centres. "Most upper-caste individuals lack the sensitivity to understand their actions," they said. They recounted an incident where a coaching instructor asked marginalised students to disclose their actual surnames, as they were using "Kumar" to conceal their backgrounds. Although some students hesitated, they eventually revealed their surnames. "The instructor lacked a fundamental understanding of why marginalised individuals might feel the need to hide their surnames."
Further, anti-reservation and casteist sentiments are reportedly fostered by these institutions, as evidenced by an incident from last year. The Head Counselor of the Student Wellness Centre at IITB, Hima Chhatbar Anaredy, became embroiled in controversy due to a Facebook post she made in 2015 that stated, "Caste reservations should go...People should get admissions and jobs on credentials and not on the reservation...Even if these students get admission in prime institutions they are not able to cope because their base is weak." Sharing Anaredy's post, APPSC cell tweeted, "This is a public post by the head counsellor of Student Wellness Centre @iitbombay. What sort of mental health service can dalit bahujan adivasi students expect from such people with the anti-reservation sentiment." The cell continued, "These counsellors completely ignore social factors and power hierarchies caste while counselling and blame the individual students for their mental health issues."
Another student from the same engineering college explains how the issue of marginalisation is further ingrained by the constant reminder that they are losing out on premier institution seats for marginalised communities who make it through with lower ranks. "No one can see beyond what is obvious," they say. "I have seen students belittle teachers for their backgrounds like they don't deserve that space because their ranks were lower." The student admits to having used a derogatory casteist slur in the past and believes that life is a constant process of learning and unlearning.
The members of APPSC contend that having a head counsellor who openly opposes reservation policies creates further alienation among marginalised students. "How do you expect marginalised students to approach them?" one member asks, adding, "Such services thereby remain cut off for students like Solanki" Meanwhile, when Prof Kattimani was asked for his opinion on the incident, he questioned the qualifications of the counsellor, as well as the insensitivity of the management for hiring someone so ignorant about the dynamics of Indian society. "We are here at educational institutes to educate individuals and not exclude them," Kattimani asserts.
Meritocracy vs generations of discrimination: What is merit?
In the line of the post by the head counsellor at IITB, many general-category students consider themselves victims of reservations. They feel they are losing out on opportunities to secure a spot in top institutions or their preferred streams, thereby igniting debates around what constitutes merit. One student expressed their frustration and said, "A general-caste candidate with a higher rank barely makes it to a poor stream at one of the substandard IITs. On the other hand, someone with reservation would make it to the top IITs and in top streams." However, Professor Kattimani explained, "Reservation is not a demerit. Such students are assets who bring with them a unique sensitivity and empathy that no one else can offer."
Dalit rights activists and members of the APPSC cell believe that such sentiments highlight the deep-seated misconceptions and entitlement that exist within the general category. "It is convenient for them to ignore the historical and social capital they possess, as they would then have to relinquish the arrogance that they are successful solely due to their exceptional talent and intellect, rather than their privilege and capital, " said an APPSC cell member. "This is why they can't afford to confront their privilege and the centuries of discrimination that have occurred."
The APPSC members also highlighted the privilege that general-category students possess, which enables them to network and receive guidance. "In contrast, for someone like Darshan Solanki, who is a first-generation graduate, just reaching this level of education is an extraordinary achievement," they said.
The debate around meritocracy and the flawed concept of merit is not new. As Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, Indian political theorist, writer and Dalit rights activist, pointed out, "Merit is a bogus term. It is determined by the scope and nature of the syllabus. If the syllabus were to include topics such as agrarian production and the importance of dignified labour, the idea of 'merit' would shift, and rural students would have an advantage." He further argued that there is a need to establish a knowledge system that is evenly distributed.
Adding his insights, Prof Kattimani stated that the cultural clash between upper-caste individuals and marginalised students is at the root of the problem. Dalit students face learning barriers that upper-caste individuals are not aware of, and despite overcoming these obstacles, they are often made to feel inferior. "It is not inferiority, it is that they dared to be here despite the challenges. Inferiority and superiority are in the minds of these people, deliberately created and imposed on the marginalised," he said.
Institutes of Empathy, not Institutes of Eminence (IoE): How to bring about a systemic change?
Last month, the Chief Justice of India (CJI), D Y Chandrachud, raised concerns about the trend of Dalit and Adivasi student suicides in top institutions across the country. Speaking at NALSAR's 19th annual convocation, he referenced the APPSC cell and stated, "We have been concentrating on building institutions of excellence, but what we need even more are institutions of empathy." The CJI stressed the importance of fostering empathy on campus and how promoting empathy could put an end to the culture of elitism and exclusion. "Not acting on incidents of abuse and bullying; not providing a support system and reducing or stopping their fellowships; normalising stereotypes through jokes are some of the things that every educational institution must stop," the CJI stated.
Adding to the concerns raised by the CJI, Professor Dasoju Srravan, a socio-political activist and thinker, highlighted the recent discourse of political narratives that are triggering anti-reservation and casteist sentiments, disregarding centuries of discrimination. "So first and foremost, political bosses should not speak of reservation as a form of charity, as this can subtly perpetuate discrimination in daily life," said Prof Srravan, expressing additional concerns about the discussion of doing away with reservations, which have become mainstream in the past 8 years. "If such discussions continue, they are bound to have a direct impact on society." Professor Srravan also criticised the current capital-driven neo-liberal society that lost the ability to be compassionate. "We need to orient the students to be human beings and not just graduates, but we are instead building robots whose only aim is to pass the exams," said Prof Srravan in remorse.
The APPSC members pointed out the lack of a mechanism to address caste issues on campus and the lack of representation among faculty members."Out of 700 faculty members, only 15 are SC and 5 ST, this is less than 1%," a member said. " There is no mechanism to address caste issues on campus. There are no posters, talks or orientation. There is a course on sexual harassment and ragging too has a prominent awareness programme, nothing for casteism." Students at IIT Madras echoed these concerns, with Rahul pointing out the non-functioning SC/ST cells on campus and the lack of proper grievance redressal mechanisms. The ChintaBar, a collective of students at IIT Madras who engage in politically, socially and economically relevant topics, demanded that institutes conduct thorough surveys by experts on all the IITs regarding the mental health state of students on campus. "It is imperative that it is done by experts," says a ChintaBar member.
Kancha Ilaiah, on the other hand, stressed the need for inclusive education as a means to a more equitable future, "The suicide of a Dalit student at an elite institution is the consequence of social and historical factors. Therefore, it is crucial to reshape education and make it more inclusive." As we list ways to build Institutions of empathy replacing institutions of eminence, Prof Srravan reminds us that somewhere the constitution gets overlooked and called for a renewed commitment to implement the laws. " We are still primitive and this primitivity has been reinforced these days. So what to do? Read the constitution that binds all of us," he said, adding, "Law exists. We just have to implement them."
