Indian lecturer wins racial bias case against UK varsity

London, December 14

An Indian lecturer has won a racial discrimination case against the University of Portsmouth after an employment tribunal ruled that she was discriminated against when overlooked for a role as a “visible” member of the university’s ethnic minority staff.

Dr Kajal Sharma, who was appointed to a five-year fixed term secondment as Associate Head for Organisational Studies and Human Resources Management at the university starting January 2016, had the option to reapply to the post.

However, when she was overlooked, she complained under the university’s grievance procedure in November 2020 that she had been discriminated against under the UK’s Equality Act 2010.

“There are no excuses for bias at the University of Portsmouth,” said a university spokesperson.