UGC asks varsities to take measures to stop caste discrimination; seeks report for measures taken in 2023-24

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a directive to higher education institutions (HEIs) to take measures to prevent caste-based discrimination while asking them to provide an ‘Action Taken Report’ (ATR) to prevent the same for the year 2023-24’.

The UGC has emphasized the importance of ensuring an inclusive environment on campus in colleges and universities as outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 

The Commission has asked universities to upload their reports on the University Activity Monitoring Portal (UAMP) of UGC by July 31, 2024.

In the report, the institutions/universities are required to mention whether it has any committee to look into the complaints of caste-based discrimination received from the affiliated colleges, the number of complaints received in the colleges during the last year, the measures taken to solve the problems, and the type of instructions issued to the college against caste-based discrimination among others.

UAMP serves as one-stop platform for tracking events and activities undertaken by higher education institutions in the country.

In the official circular, the UGC said it has been taking various steps for the prevention of caste-based discrimination in HEIs and has previously issued guidelines for the same. 

The UGC has asked HEIs to follow the guidelines including advising the officials and faculty members to be more sensitive while dealing with incidents of caste discrimination. The officials and faculty members at varsities have been requested to abstain from any act of discrimination against SC/ST OBC students on grounds of their caste.

It has further suggested the institutions to constitute a committee to look into the complaints of discrimination based on castes, adding, that swift action must be taken against the official against the concerned individual.

The advisory also includes developing a page on universities’ websites for filing complaints of caste discrimination by SC/ST/OBC students and also placing a complaint register in the office of the registrar/principal for the purpose.