"IIT Bombay Student Suicide Sparks Caste Discrimination Protests"
Equal Opportunity Cell
A body every higher education institution must set up under UGC's 2012 Equity Regulations to handle discrimination complaints.
Special Courts
Courts designated under the Atrocities Act, 1989 for speedy trial of caste-based offences.
The Constitution abolishes untouchability under Article 17 and directs the State under Article 46 to promote the educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other weaker sections. Despite this, caste-based violence and discrimination persisted, prompting Parliament to enact the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Act creates a specific category of offences against SC/ST persons, provides for Special Courts for speedy trial, and, following later amendments, restricts anticipatory bail in most cases so that an accused person cannot easily influence witnesses or victims.
Maharashtra has its own long tradition of anti-caste social reform that student groups today explicitly invoke. Jyotirao Phule founded the Satya Shodhak Samaj in 1873 to challenge Brahmanical social order and promote education among lower castes and women. This tradition was carried forward by Shahu Maharaj and later by B.R. Ambedkar. The student body that has led protests at IIT-Bombay, the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, draws its name directly from this lineage, connecting a contemporary campus grievance to an older regional history of caste reform.
Caste discrimination inside premier technical and management institutes is not a new concern. Similar allegations from a Central University research scholar's death a decade ago pushed higher education regulators to strengthen anti-discrimination mechanisms on campuses nationwide, though implementation has remained uneven.
To address discrimination inside campuses, the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012 require every higher educational institution to set up an Equal Opportunity Cell and appoint an anti-discrimination officer to handle complaints from SC, ST, OBC, minority, and women students. Institutions are also expected to maintain SC/ST Cells and internal grievance redressal committees. In practice, these bodies are often staffed by the same faculty and administration against whom complaints may need to be filed, raising questions about independence whenever a serious incident occurs. …
Satya Shodhak Samaj organized
Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian society.
'Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India.' Comment.
Consider the following statements about the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989:
1.It provides for the establishment of Special Courts for speedy trial of offences under the Act.
2.It is implemented exclusively by the Union Government, with no role for State Governments.
3.Anticipatory bail is available to the accused in all cases without any restriction.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Match List-I (Movement/Organisation) with List-II (Associated Reformer):
List-I:
1.Satya Shodhak Samaj
2.Self-Respect Movement
3.All India Depressed Classes Association
List-II:
A.Periyar E.V. Ramasamy
B.Jyotirao Phule
C.B.R. Ambedkar
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
Consider the following pairs of constitutional provisions and their subject matter:
1.Article 17 — Abolition of untouchability
2.Article 46 — Promotion of educational and economic interests of SCs and STs
3.Article 335 — Claims of SCs and STs to services and posts
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Which of the following statements about the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012 is/are correct?
1.They require every higher educational institution to constitute an Equal Opportunity Cell.
2.They mandate a fixed student-to-counsellor ratio of 1:250 in every institution.
Select the correct answer:
Consider the following statements about Tele MANAS:
1.It is a tele-mental health helpline launched under the National Tele Mental Health Programme.
2.It provides toll-free counselling services across India in multiple languages.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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