Dalit students still face discrimination
Karamala Areesh Kumar, Paul Newman | 9 October 2023 | Deccan Herald
Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, prominent social reformists, firmly believed that education was the sole means to empower marginalised communities. B R Ambedkar, advocating ‘Educate-Organise-Agitate,’ emphasised education for the emancipation of women, minorities, and Dalits. Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), including IITs, MITs, AIIMS, NITs, and universities, have played a pivotal role in India’s economic, social, political, and cultural development. Despite affirmative action policies and legislation, caste-based hierarchical disparities persist, hindering access to universities even after 70 years of Independence.
While universities are diverse spaces where students and faculty bring their unique traditions and values, educational institutions risk perpetuating the caste system. Although students enter based on merit, it is the institutions’ responsibility to ensure equitable access and a conducive research environment. However, HEIs in India often fail to safeguard the rights of marginalised communities. Dalit students face various forms of exclusion and caste-based discrimination in educational institutions across the country. While constitutional safeguards and legal protection for Dalits exist, caste-based discrimination has taken on new forms in the modern era.