KU Sanskrit HoD booked under SC/ST Act for alleged casteist remarks against research scholar

The Hindu
The Hindu
27m ago 1 view
A Kerala University professor was booked under the SC/ST Act for allegedly making casteist remarks against a PhD scholar, impacting the institution's reputation.
KU Sanskrit HoD booked under SC/ST Act for alleged casteist remarks against research scholar
A What happened
C.N. Vijayakumari, the Head of the Sanskrit department at Kerala University, has been booked by police under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This follows a complaint from Vipin Vijayan, a PhD scholar, who alleges that she made casteist remarks and refused to sign his thesis after his defense. The complaints date back to 2015, when Vijayan began his MPhil under her supervision. He claims her actions were influenced by her political affiliations, contrasting his left-wing views with her ties to the RSS-BJP ideology. In response to the allegations, Kerala's Higher Education Minister R. Bindu has ordered an inquiry, emphasizing the need for strict legal action against any wrongdoing. The incident raises significant concerns about caste discrimination within higher education institutions.

Key insights

  • 1

    Caste Discrimination in Academia

    The case highlights ongoing issues of caste bias in educational institutions.

  • 2

    Political Influence on Education

    Allegations suggest that political affiliations may affect academic evaluations.

  • 3

    Legal Action Initiated

    An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the allegations thoroughly.

Takeaways

The incident underscores the critical need for addressing caste discrimination in academia and ensuring fair treatment for all scholars, regardless of their background.

Topics

Education Policy & Regulation Society