Caste discrimination in Indian universities spiked by 118% in 5 years
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New Delhi: A UGC compiled data revealed that complaints on caste-based discrimination increased by 118 per cent in universities and colleges in India. The shocking revelation by the data UGC (University Grants Commission), submitted to a parliamentary panel and the Supreme Court, showed that the number of reported incidents rose to 378 in 2023-24 against 173 in 2019-20, The Wire reported.
Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, the UGC received 1,160 complaints reported by Equal Opportunity Cells (EOCs) and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Cells across 704 universities and 1,553 colleges, according to the data.
When the resolved complaints stand at 1,052 of the above-mentioned figure, the number of pending cases rose from 18 in 2019-20 to 108 in 2023–24.
UGC shared year-wise data with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, showing a steady rise in reported cases. The year 2020-21 reported 182 cases, 186 cases in 2021-22, and 241 in 2022-23. It rose sharply the next year, 2023-24.
A senior official from the UGC, talking to the Hindustan Times, claimed that the increase in figures should be because of increased awareness among students about the functioning of SC/ST and Equal Opportunity Cells. He also claimed that the said cells were resolving cases proactively.
UGC submitted the data in response to a Supreme Court order from January 2025. The court directed the body to collate data on caste discrimination complaints under the 2012 regulations, according to The Wire. The top court’s directive was based on a petition filed after the death of PhD scholar Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad.
