Caste identity-related issues find their way in various situations and result in either submissive reactions, assertive ones or heated arguments.
Even as the suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi, abetted by casteist slurs by her seniors, gets added to the long list of fatalities resulting from caste discrimination, educational institutes insist they have various mechanisms in place to ensure discrimination is kept at bay.
Caste identity-related issues find their way in various situations and result in either submissive reactions, assertive ones or heated arguments.
"At TISS, since we are a social science institute with a mission to work for the socially marginalised, our profession also demands that there be zero tolerance towards any discrimination. The uniqueness of our institute is that every student can access the offices of faculty. Every student can identify a faculty as a mentor to whom he/she can confide in or share his/her grievances with. This is an important safety net for any student who enters TISS. In the case of formal structures and mechanisms, one can write complaints to our very active SC/ST cell. Immediately, a committee is set up to inquire into the cases," said Asha Banu, Dean, Students Affairs, TISS Mumbai.
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The institute has other means of addressing issues of caste discrimination. For example, an equal opportunities cell which looks into issues faced by the disabled, OBCs and other minorities, and an empowered committee which looks into complaints where students feel threatened among others.
The problems are more prevalent when it comes to caste discrimination in technical and medical institutes over social ones," said Mayur Kudupale, a researcher whose study on caste impact on mental health found more victims in medical institutes over any other. "That is because the kind of mechanism that is there in social institutes is not there in technical and medical institutes," said Kudupale.
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Medical institutes such as BYL Nair did not comment on the issue but some students said that conversations often get bitter when people talk about these matters. "There has been no palpable discrimination, nor did someone come to me to talk about reservations or caste. But once when I had a group conversation on the matter, it ended in a bitter note," said an IIT Bombay student who is pursuing a PhD.
"Instances of assertion and counter-assertion have grown over the years when it comes to caste. This happens as people try to claim their rights. Where students have been submissive, there has been no reaction. But when there has been a counter-assertion, it has led to serious arguments. We have counselled students, made them apologise and have taken action in such cases," said Prof Avatthi Ramaiah, chairperson, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at TISS.
Also Read: Fixing social mindset, dialogue ways to correct discrimination: Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar
Ramaiah said that the word "reservation" may have less negative connotations in the time to come. "That is mainly because of the reservations in for the Economically Weaker Section category. Though it is unconstitutional, it covers all segments and from now on, looking down on people with reservation may not be as severe because people may themselves be beneficiaries," said Ramaiah.
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