Educational reforms must to end caste bias

Educational reforms must to end caste bias
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The caste-based prejudices and discrimination were marring the institutions of higher education and there was serious need to introspect about everybody’s responsibility in creating the conditions that forced Rohith Vemula to end his life, said Prof. Yogendra Yadav, the national co-ordination committee member of Swaraj Abhiyan (SA).

Hyderabad: The caste-based prejudices and discrimination were marring the institutions of higher education and there was serious need to introspect about everybody’s responsibility in creating the conditions that forced Rohith Vemula to end his life, said Prof. Yogendra Yadav, the national co-ordination committee member of Swaraj Abhiyan (SA). He was speaking to the media persons here on Tuesday about the tragic demise of the Dalit scholar, whose death has moved the whole country.

“We must ponder as to why the existing laws and regulations failed to prevent this tragedy. We must act to ensure that this does not happen again”, said Prof. Yadav. He suggested that this occasion must be used to initiate far-reaching reforms in the institutions of higher education with bringing in the new laws and strengthening the implementation of existing statutes, committee reports and court judgments that seek to end caste based discriminations.

Such statutes include the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations 2012, which prohibit a range of discriminatory practices against SC/ST students and mandate an Anti-discrimination officer, and the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012, which provide for an ombudsperson in every university to settle any grievance including that are related to the discrimination against SC/ST students and staff.

Yadav said his organisation demanded that all the institutions implement the existing provisions and recommendations and end caste-based inequalities and other discriminations. He also stressed the need for transparent and accountable governance of the universities, including the process by which the highest functionaries are chosen.

He commended the spirit of the University of Hyderabad student community of for its sensitivity and vigil on issues of caste-based discrimination. Prof. Kodandaram and Chaya Rathan, former IAS officer, were present at the occasion.

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