How SC wants UGC to 'effectively' end caste discrimination on campus

The Supreme Court’s directive on January 3 marked a significant turning point in addressing caste-based discrimination in India’s higher education institutions. The petition filed by Vemula and Tadvi’s mothers also highlighted institutional apathy, with many universities failing to record or address complaints of caste-based discrimination adequately. Institutions must also invest in mental health resources tailored to the unique challenges faced by marginalised students, ensuring that support systems are accessible and effective. Ambedkar once said, “Equality may be a fiction, but one must accept it as a governing principle.” Only by committing to this principle can India’s academic institutions become spaces where merit thrives unencumbered by prejudice, and where the dreams of students like Vemula and Tadvi can be realised without hindrance.