Religious and caste exclusivity at premier institutions continue to ‘other’ minority students
The Brahminical sway of IITs and IIMs embolden their student and faculty communities to intimidate, harass and abuse Muslim and dalit students, pushing them to the edge of vulnerability, ultimately causing them to drop-out or commit suicide.
Details have just surfaced about the suicide of Fathima Latheef, a studious, 18-year-old 1st year MA student of IIT Madras, who committed suicide after leaving a note on her mobile phone which implicates her professors for pushing her towards the extreme step. Fathima, the class topper, is revealed to have had to endure constant ridicules and taunts directed at her Muslim identity, especially by her teachers. “Even my Muslim name is a problem here,” she had told her father during one of their phone conversations.
This is not the first time that an incident of discrimination against students on the basis of their religion and caste has been reported from the campuses of IITs and IIMs, India’s premier institutions which, funded by the tax-payers’ money, provide high-quality graduate/post-graduate level education to some of the highly meritorious students in the country. These institutions are notorious for openly endorsing communalism and casteism, perpetuated by students and teachers alike.
A quick glance at some instances of the communal/casteist mentality at IITs and IIMs:
A bizarre form of untouchability practised at IIT Madras was brought to light last year when a group of students took to social media exposing the separate entrances/seats/counters/hand-wash for non-vegetarian students.
The ridicule and harassment a dalit professor at IIT Kanpur had to endure from his fellow teachers.
Dalit student Aniket Ambhore of IIT Bombay, who fell to his death from the hostel terrace after being constantly subjected to taunts over his caste, especially by his professors.
A dalit assistant professor of IIT Kanpur, who had to file a case against his senior professors, accusing them of harassment and making casteist remarks.
IIM Ahmedabad refusing to implement the SC/ST quota for admissions.
IIMs opposing the government’s quota system in faculty appointments.
These are, in addition, to the numerous cases of suicides witnessed by the IITs and IIMs every year. Though the victims in most cases are from the dalit or Muslim community, police investigations almost always state “academic pressure”, “personal problems” or “unknown reasons” as the cause of death. This helps the anti-reservationists at these very institutions to further consolidate their theory that “students who make it to the IITs through reservation are never able to handle the academic pressure.”
Close monitoring and stringent action, ideally under the judiciary’s supervision is the only way to put an end to the Brahminical supremacy on the campuses of IITs, IIMs and AIIMSs.