Dalits in the country often experience social exclusion and alienation in higher education institutions, leading to feelings of inferiority
NEW DELHI – In a move symptomatic of the discrimination against Dalits in the country, at least ten Dalit professors at Bangalore University have resigned from their additional administrative responsibilities, citing discrimination in how these roles are assigned.
Discrimination and administrative bias are pervasive issues that affect various aspects of Dalit lives, including academics. Despite constitutional guarantees of equality and affirmative action policies, Dalit scholars and students continue to face systemic biases and exclusion.
The aggrieved Bangalore University professors claim that earlier, they were given meaningful administrative duties alongside their academic work. However, recently, they have been assigned only “in-charge” roles, which they feel is a way to limit their authority. They also claim the university is denying them their earned leave benefits connected to these responsibilities, media reports said on Thursday.
In a letter to the university’s Registrar (Administration), the professors wrote, “While giving additional administrative responsibilities, it is just mentioned as ‘in-charge’, and also trying to avoid the Earned Leaves credited to our accounts. Despite repeated requests regarding this, there was no response from the university authorities. Hence, we are all submitting resignations for the additional responsibilities given to us.”
Among those who resigned are Prof C Somashekar, Director of the Ambedkar Research Centre; Nagesh PC, Director of Student Welfare; Sudesh V, Coordinator of PM-USHA; and Muralidhar BL, Director of Distance Education and Online Education Centre.
Dalits often experience social exclusion and alienation in higher education institutions, leading to feelings of inferiority.
The representation of Dalits in elite institutions remains below expectations, with a few Dalit researchers and professors in premier science institutes like IITs and IISc.
Overall, discrimination against Dalits in academics is a complex issue that requires sustained efforts to address the systemic biases and exclusionary practices that perpetuate inequality.
