The petitions that were filed on behalf of the mothers of Payal Thadvi, a medical student who died by suicide as a result of caste-based discrimination at Maharashtra Medical College, and Rohit Vemula, a student who died by suicide as a result of caste-based discrimination at Hyderabad Central University, were heard today in front of a bench that was presided over by Justice AS Boppanna of the Supreme Court.
In the future, parents shouldn’t have to be concerned about the possibility of their children being turned away from institutions due to discrimination based on caste. They had sent a petition to the UGC urging that the organization take the appropriate actions. In the summary of the petition, it is stated that in the future, caste disparity should not be the cause of any other parents losing their children. In light of the circumstances, it is imperative to urge UGC to take the appropriate actions.
As a result of this, the University Grants Commission is obligated, according to the rules it has established, to ensure that equality is preserved on the campuses of higher education institutions. Equal opportunity centers have been created in universities, colleges, and online campuses in order to learn about the grievances that have been brought forth by students.
Every university and other kind of educational institution must be mandated to include a section on their websites devoted to outlining the actions that must be taken to eradicate caste discrimination. In a manner comparable to this, the NAAC, which evaluates and accredits educational institutions, must be compelled to ensure that campus environments are conducive to fostering diversity. These requests are included in the petition.
During the course of the hearing for this case, Justice MM Sundaresh posed a question to the committee in charge of university funding, inquiring about the steps that had been taken to eliminate caste discrimination on college campuses. The UGC should have consultations with the petitioners and draft policies in order to put a stop to caste discrimination on college campuses.
He asked, “What initiatives has the UGC done to highlight the student communities that are part of the scheduled castes and the tribal groups?” In addition to this, he stressed the many challenges that these children face while attending college.
