The inquiry committee also concluded in its report that the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, are not applicable in this case.
Mandi – The three-member inquiry committee formed to investigate the controversial caste-based poster displayed during a Janmashtami event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi has recommended counseling and sensitization training instead of disciplinary action against the students involved. The committee also stated that it found no evidence of an intent to target, insult, or offend any individual or community.
The inquiry committee also concluded in its report that the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, are not applicable in this case.
Following the controversy, IIT Mandi will now formulate clear rules and guidelines for student events held on campus and establish a system to monitor such events.
What was the entire controversy?
The controversy began with a poster displayed during a student-led Janmashtami event held on September 4th at the IIT Mandi campus. The poster was titled “Bhagavad Gita – The Timeless Wisdom.”
After photos and videos of the poster surfaced on social media, it sparked strong reactions. The poster divided society into four groups: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, assigning distinct roles to them.
The poster stated that Brahmins spread God’s message, Kshatriyas protect society, Vaishyas support others by running the economy, and Shudras serve the upper castes.
The poster also referenced a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, which describes the four divisions of human society based on the three gunas of nature and their corresponding actions. The poster’s description of the role of Shudras as “serving the upper classes” drew the most objection, and it was considered to promote caste hierarchy.
After photos and videos of the poster circulated on social media, questions arose about the role of the IIT Mandi administration. Many people expressed concerns about caste discrimination, social equality, and the dignity of students in educational institutions. Amid the controversy, IIT Mandi clarified that the event was not officially organized by the institute and that the poster was neither approved nor endorsed by the institute. Following this, on September 6, IIT Mandi Director Professor Laxmikant Behera formed a three-member inquiry committee.
What did the inquiry committee find?
Now that the investigation is complete, the committee has revealed several important facts related to the matter.
According to the committee, the event was not organized by IIT Mandi. No officially recognized student organization of the institute was involved. No IIT Mandi funds were used for the event. The expenses were met through voluntary contributions.
The controversial poster was neither viewed, approved, nor endorsed by any authority at the institute. The content of the poster reflected a student’s personal interpretation and did not represent the views or official stance of IIT Mandi. The committee found no evidence of intent to target, insult, or offend any individual or community. The student who displayed the poster was also identified during the investigation.
The inquiry committee did not recommend direct disciplinary action against the students concerned. Instead, it recommended counseling and sensitivity training.
According to a senior IIT faculty member, the committee found that students need to be sensitized on such issues and therefore considered counseling and sensitization appropriate steps.
The committee also pointed out a significant shortcoming at the institute level.
The committee found that the IIT Mandi campus lacks a clear and defined process for organizing such events. The committee considered this an institutional shortcoming that needs to be addressed on a priority basis. Based on this recommendation, IIT Mandi will now formulate rules and guidelines for organizing student events on campus and establish a mechanism to monitor such events.
A key part of the inquiry report is that the committee found the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, were not applicable in the case.
The report stated that the investigation found no evidence of intent to target, insult, or offend any individual or community, and that the committee concluded that the provisions of the SC/ST Act were not applicable in this case. However, upon the poster controversy, the institute director himself acknowledged that the poster had offended members of the community and expressed regret. The institute expressed regret and sympathy to those affected and stated its commitment to equality, social justice, and a discrimination-free campus.
Six members from IIT Mandi’s Reservation Cell assisted the committee in the investigation process. This allowed the committee to incorporate institutional representation related to reservation and social justice issues into the investigation.
Based on the available facts and information received from relevant stakeholders, the committee concluded that the event was not an official event of the institute and that the controversial poster was not sanctioned or approved by any institute official.
What’s next?
Following the committee’s recommendations, IIT Mandi now has two courses of action.
First, the students who displayed the controversial poster will be counseled and provided sensitivity training. Second, the institute will develop clear rules, permission procedures, and monitoring mechanisms for future student events on campus. Thus, the findings of the investigation focus more on sensitivity and institutional reform than disciplinary action against students. Overall, IIT Mandi’s investigation found the controversial poster to be at odds with the institute’s official position. Furthermore, the institute acknowledged that the poster offended community members. Counseling and sensitivity training for the concerned students, along with the development of new regulations and monitoring mechanisms for student events on campus, will now proceed.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News