"Approximately 50 million SC, ST, and OBC students will be affected by the UGC Regulations 2026; demanding rights cannot be called victimhood."
New Delhi – In a recent Science Journey podcast, senior IRS officer Netra Pal sharply criticized the controversial statement made by Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice Chancellor Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit. He stated that Madam is saying that Dalits have become addicted to victimhood, playing the victim by claiming they haven’t had water for centuries. Netra Pal called this clear bias and prejudice and pointed out that the person making this statement is the head of an institution with a very high number of SC, ST, and OBC students. He emphasized that approximately 90 million SC, ST, and OBC students are studying in universities across India, which is a very large number, yet displaying such a mindset exposes prejudice.
Presenting comparative data, Netrapal explained that Harvard University, which is among the top 10 universities in the world, states in its 2023 Diversity Report that faculty of color, i.e., non-White faculty, represent 22 percent, of which 232 include Black, Hispanic, and other faculty. Meanwhile, SC, ST, and OBC faculty representation at IITs is only 1.92 percent, while at IIMs it is less than 0.8 percent. This is data from five or six years ago, and while there may have been some slight improvement, the difference is not significant.
He said that while the Black community has been oppressed in the United States for centuries, their representation is still good due to affirmative action. In India, the problems of Dalit, OBC, and tribal communities are unique in the world and even more serious than Black victimhood. This community, which constitutes over 85 percent of the population, lacks even 2 percent representation in institutions like IITs and IIMs. He emphasized that this comparison is incorrect, as there is no affirmative action even in the private sector in India.
Right now, the UGC will form an equity committee, but who will head it? The Vice-Chancellor. What will happen if SC/ST/OBC victims approach the Vice-Chancellor? They will say they are victims, so how will they rule in their favor and deliver justice?
In the podcast, Netrapal also deeply analyzed the controversy surrounding the UGC 2026 Regulation. He explained that those opposing the regulation are claiming that it will divide Hindu society and that OBCs were included for political reasons. However, the truth is that the 2012 UGC Regulation was only for SCs and STs, and OBCs were added later on the recommendation of a parliamentary committee. A 31-member parliamentary committee, majority upper-caste, reviewed the data, acknowledged the atrocities against OBCs, and recommended their inclusion. Following the Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi suicide cases, the Supreme Court also mandated proper implementation of the 2012 regulations. Netrapal clarified that while OBC reservations were implemented in 2006, they were implemented in universities only in 2013, and in medical education only in 2021.
He also cited historical evidence that during the British era, Shudras were not admitted to institutions like Hindu College; only some Kayasthas were exempted because their social status was comparable to that of the upper castes. From the 1901 caste census to current data, 50-70 percent of OBCs are extremely backward, denied access to higher education and government jobs. Netrapal said that SCs and STs received reservations after 1947, but OBCs had to fight until 1990 and wait until 2012 for university admissions, ruining generations.
Education data revealed that the general category’s representation at the primary level is only 11.85 percent, which rises to 50 percent in higher education. While SC, ST, and OBC students are higher in primary education, their enrollment declines due to increased dropout rates. SCs’ primary enrollment falls from 21 percent in primary education to 14.82 percent in secondary education and 4.72 percent in engineering. The situation is similar among OBCs. Dropout and suicide rates at IITs are higher among SCs, STs, and OBCs, while at institutions like Anna University, this is not the case, proving institutional discrimination. OBC professors in central universities are only 1.1 percent, compared to 33 percent in state universities. Muslims are represented as high as 45 percent because they have separate institutions.
“SCs, STs, and OBCs are automatically a minority in universities because there are no members of this class in all the top faculty positions. At IITs, there are 1-2%, a maximum of 10%, and even in the administration, there are very few non-faculty cadres. Here, SCs, STs, and OBCs are a significant minority. There are many more outside. That’s why they are backward, right? We’re not getting higher education so easily. So what’s the situation here? We’re the ones facing discrimination.”
The most shocking statistic is the vacancies for faculty positions. In central universities, 95.5 percent of OBC professor positions are vacant, 91.95 percent of associate professor positions are vacant, while 78 percent of SC positions are vacant. There are no SC/ST principal positions at Delhi University. Netrapal stated that this is institutional discrimination, where low interview marks, NFS, and vacancies are deliberately created. The conviction rate for SC/ST atrocity cases in Uttar Pradesh is 70-80 percent, far higher than murder and rape, yet the case is often called a fake one.
At the end of the podcast, Netrapal concluded that approximately 50 million SC, ST, and OBC students will be affected by this regulation. Education is their only weapon, so discrimination cannot be tolerated. Demanding rights cannot be labeled victimhood. He also suggested opening a Buddhist minority university. The podcast stated that data never lies and the Bahujan community should spread this information to ensure equality and justice.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News