Scheduled Caste (NCSC) issues notice on complaint on caste discrimination during IIT campus placements: Claim to equality of opportunity

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ncsc-notice-on-year-old-plaint-of-caste-discrimination-at-iit-campus-placements/article69123862.ece

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) addressed a complaint of caste discrimination in the placement offices of IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay, over a year after activist and alumnus Dheeraj Singh filed it in November 2023. The NCSC issued notices to the institutions’ Directors and the Ministry of Education, demanding an action-taken report within 15 days. The complaint followed reports of Scheduled Caste student suicides and allegations of discriminatory practices, including mandatory caste disclosures in placement forms. Singh provided evidence showing these practices affected at least 300 SC students during the 2023–24 placement year, supported by screenshots of placement forms requiring caste-revealing socioeconomic details and JEE ranks. The delay in processing the complaint was attributed to technical glitches. The Supreme Court recently addressed caste discrimination in higher education, further intensifying scrutiny of IITs and the University Grants Commission on such issues.