Mumbai, 31st July 2023: In a bid to combat discrimination on its campus, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) has recently issued comprehensive anti-discrimination guidelines. These guidelines come in response to suspected caste-based prejudice occurring among students and aim to foster an inclusive and respectful environment.
IIT-Bombay has made it clear that students should refrain from seeking information about each other’s caste or any related factors, such as GATE or JEE (Advanced) rankings and scores. The institute believes that such inquiries may inadvertently promote discrimination and is determined to prevent such incidents from happening.
The release of these guidelines follows the tragic death of a first-year student, Darshan Solanki, which brought attention to the issue of caste-based prejudice in educational institutions. As the incoming class of 2023-24 arrives on campus, the directives encourage all students to build meaningful relationships irrespective of their caste, religion, or socioeconomic background. Additionally, the guidelines strictly prohibit the exchange of jokes or comments that are offensive, sexist, casteist, or abusive.
The administration of IIT Bombay takes a proactive approach to encourage students to connect based on shared interests, such as departmental affiliations, sports, music, movies, and hobbies. They also consider educational backgrounds, alma maters, places of origin, and rural dwellings as common grounds for fostering unity and understanding among students.
Furthermore, the institute emphasizes that any form of harassment, bullying, prejudice, or intolerance, whether in person or on social networking sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, or email, is strictly prohibited. Violation of these rules may lead to severe penalties, and the administration expects every student to be respectful and considerate of others’ sentiments.
Despite these efforts, some students have raised concerns about suspected discrimination in the mess at hostels 12, 13, and 14. Allegedly, there is an informal segregated seating area where only vegetarian students are allowed to sit, excluding non-vegetarians. In an attempt to raise awareness of this issue, posters reading “Vegetarians only are allowed to sit here” were put up. However, the IIT Bombay administration has denied the existence of such discrimination and declared the information to be untrue.
IIT Bombay is taking significant steps to address and prevent discrimination on its campus. By promoting inclusivity, encouraging positive interactions, and strictly prohibiting any form of prejudice or harassment, the institute aims to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all its students.
