Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has ordered an independent inquiry into allegations of caste-based humiliation and discrimination raised by two students against the head of the law department, who is also the warden of the boys’ hostel at Dr Rajendra Prasad National Law University, Prayagraj. The court also directed an independent re-evaluation of the answer sheets of one of the students and relieved the HOD-warden of all administrative responsibilities until completion of the inquiries.
The fifth-semester student had submitted a complaint to the VC on Aug 20, alleging that the university had failed to act on his grievance despite repeated reminders and further complaints. The court has fixed Sept 24 as the next date of hearing in the case. Stay updated with the latest Prayagraj news.
Their grievance was that the HOD used academic and administrative authority as an “instrument of caste-based humiliation and retaliation”. He alleged that the HOD-warden had remarked at the beginning of the fourth semester: “jo constitutional law me highest lekar aya hai, ab mere me lekar aaye (the one who got the highest marks in constitutional law, let him get the highest marks in my subject now)” According to the student, the stricter evaluation of his answer sheets was due to his caste, and he claimed that the faculty member concerned had publicly made insulting remarks concerning caste and reservation. The HC, in its order dated Sept 16, directed, “The sixth respondent shall be relieved henceforth from all administrative responsibilities till the completion of the enquiries”.
Justice Vinod Diwakar further barred the HOD-warden, who is the sixth respondent in the case, from having any role in the student’s evaluation, disciplinary matters or hostel-related matters concerning the petitioners. However, the HC made it clear that it was not recording any finding on the truth of the allegations. The court asked Archana Singh-I, judge, Small Cause Court, District Court, Prayagraj, and Arun Kumar Yadava, special chief judicial magistrate, Prayagraj, to conduct an inquiry and submit a report in the matter. The inquiry will ascertain whether students belonging to the SC-ST communities were subjected to caste-based humiliation or discrimination by the HOD-warden or any other person employed in or working for gain in the university. It will also examine whether complaints regarding such allegations were dealt with by the university in accordance with applicable regulations. The HC separately directed the vice-chancellor to constitute an independent committee to re-evaluate the student’s answer sheets for subjects taught and evaluated by the HOD-warden in the fifth semester, as well as any other subjects indicated by the student. The petition was filed by Shubhendu Anand, a PhD research scholar, and a fifth-semester BA LLB (Hons) student of the university who resides in the boys’ hostel. In the complaint, the student stated that constitutional law-II was the gold medal subject and that he had secured the highest marks. The court further directed the VC to apprise it of whether the university has constituted an equal opportunity cell and a committee for the redressal of grievances of SC/ST students under the applicable UGC Regulations, along with details of their composition and the action taken on the student’s complaint. Download the TOI App.