It is interesting that whenever there is a move to uplift the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and the OBCs, the BJP doesn't openly oppose it but secretly works to render it ineffective
RESPONDING to public interest petitions regarding the suicides of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi, and the increasing number of student suicides in higher educational institutions, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a 16-page document with guidelines to be implemented in higher educational institutions. These guidelines aim to protect students from humiliation and negative thoughts leading to the extreme step of ending one’s life.
In recent years, there has been an increase in such tragic incidents. Data presented in the Rajya Sabha report “Significant Student Suicides (2018-2023)” shows that 98 students from IITs, IIMs, and central universities committed suicide between 2018 and 2023. The situation is more alarming among marginalised communities: most of the 122 students committing suicide in central institutions between 2014 and 2021 belonged to SC, ST, OBC, and minority communities. The number of complaints of caste-based discrimination in universities and colleges increased by 118.4% between 2019 and 2024.
The UGC’s recommendations are a breath of fresh air, but they have been opposed in many parts of North India, mostly by upper caste groups who are likely BJP supporters. They even approached the Supreme Court, which temporarily stayed the implementation of the UGC guidelines.
The Supreme Court claimed that such steps would divide society and that the guidelines were vague and could be easily misused. We know that laws can be misused, and necessary provisions can be made to prevent it. The fact is that such incidents have increased by 118% between 2018 and 2023.
Noted sociologist Prof Satish Pandey argues that upper castes, having enjoyed privileges through caste practices, now talk about a caste-less society. Prof Ajanth Subramanyam explains how the concept of a casteless society has been linked to “merit” and used by upper castes in Tamil Nadu to counter the subaltern movement.
The BJP has been in power for about 12 years, and upper castes know that this government is “their ally” and will do everything to undermine positive steps for marginalised communities. An example is higher educational institutions, where reserved seats for SC/ST/OBC remain vacant despite qualified candidates being available.
We have seen that this government generally protects the upper castes, and atrocities against marginalised communities have increased rapidly under its rule. The condition of these communities has worsened over the past few decades, as reflected in various economic, social, and political indicators.
The National Coalition for Strengthening SCs and STs report shows that atrocities against SCs increased by 1.2% in 2021, with Uttar Pradesh reporting the highest number of cases (25.82%). Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh followed with 14.7% and 14.1%, respectively.
The report highlights the rot in India’s socio-political fabric, fuelled by Hindutva ideology and violence against marginalised communities. Dalits are one such community being targeted.
The struggle for SC/ST/OBC rights has been ongoing. The first step was ensuring equal treatment and access to education despite upper-caste resistance. Jyotirao Phule’s life is an example of the obstacles faced by marginalized communities.
Babasaheb Ambedkar continued this struggle, adding issues like temple entry, access to public water sources, and anti-untouchability. Gandhiji, the Father of the Nation, spent years fighting against untouchability. Interestingly, the first attempt on his life took place when his primary struggle was for the eradication of untouchability, and he was working for the uplift of Dalits.
The Indian Constitution has provisions against untouchability and reservations for SC/ST communities, but implementation has been half-hearted. As reservations came in by 1980, a section of the upper caste started articulating its opposition. The propaganda was that “non-meritorious” groups of people were blocking the opportunities for the “meritorious” upper castes. These misconceptions were made part of the ‘social common sense’. The hatred against these sections of society led to violence against them, as seen particularly in Ahmedabad and parts of Gujarat in 1980 and then in 1985. An intense violence was orchestrated against these sections, and the major issue was reservation.
Groups like “Youth for Equality” have propagated upper-caste arguments, creating a hate-filled atmosphere in educational institutions. The recent increase in student suicides is a result of this. The argument that the UGC guidelines don’t protect upper castes is baseless, as most suicides are among SC/ST/OBC students.
The implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations in 1990 was a shock to upper castes, and the BJP cleverly diverted attention with the Ram Temple movement, leading to widespread communal violence across the country.
Whenever a step is taken to uplift SC/ST/OBC communities, the BJP secretly works to undermine it. The UGC guidelines expose the BJP and RSS’s true face, showing their anti-constitutional stance.
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Ram Puniyani is an eminent author, activist and a former professor at IIT Mumbai. The views expressed here are the author’s personal and Clarion India does not necessarily share or subscribe to them. Graphics courtesy: LawArticle
