Caste bias for real, says IIT-Bombay student body

New Delhi, February 17

The death of 18-year-old Darshan Solanki at the IIT, Bombay, has once again highlighted the need for mental health care of students belonging to marginalised communities.

Solanki was a Dalit student. His kin have alleged caste discrimination against him. Though the IIT-Bombay has deployed counsellors at student wellness centres, they fell short of addressing the issue of marginalised students.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, had on January 31 this year, issued a notice to the IIT-Bombay over lack of mental healthcare support to SC students.

Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, a student organisation at the IIT-Bombay, alleged that none of the counsellors on the campus were from SC or ST backgrounds and meeting them, therefore, was causing more harm than good.

It alleged that the head counsellor had publicly exhibited anti-reservation sentiments. This, they alleged, had intimidated SC and ST students from going to a counsellor on the campus.

It said, “The administration knows about caste discrimination against students, and yet it has ignored our demand for institutional support.”

As many as 34 students have committed suicide between 2014 and 2021 in different IITs. Of them, 18 belonged to reserved categories.