**Executive Summary**
This document addresses the issue of caste discrimination in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in India. It outlines measures taken by the Department of Higher Education, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) to prevent harassment and discrimination, particularly against SC/ST students. The information was provided on December 2nd, 2023, by the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Institutions and Governance:**
* Thirty-one National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur are governed by the NITSER Act, 2007.
* **Causes of Student Distress:**
* Institutes cite personal/family issues, health-related issues, financial losses from online trading, academic failures, and gaming as common causes of student incidents.
* **Preventive Welfare Measures:**
* Institutes engage Counselors, Psychologists, and Doctors for student counseling.
* SC/ST cells are established to address student issues.
* Faculty/Wardens/Mentors actively support students.
* Regular counseling, sensitization programs, and online complaint/suggestion provisions are in place.
* Motivational lectures, meditation/yoga sessions, sports and cultural meets are organized.
* **Council of NITSER's Advisory Role:**
* The Council of NITSER advises Institutes to mitigate student problems and promote emotional well-being.
* **UGC's Anti-Discrimination Measures:**
* UGC notified the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, to prevent discrimination based on caste, creed, religion, language, ethnicity, gender, and disability.
* UGC has issued directives/instructions/guidelines to HEIs for a grievance redressal mechanism related to discrimination.
* Institutes should have Equal Opportunity Cells, SC/ST Grievance Redressal Committees, and Liaison Officers for SC/ST student and staff matters.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students in Higher Educational Institutions**
* **Impact**: Students benefit from welfare measures, counseling services, grievance redressal mechanisms, and regulations against discrimination.
* **Action Required**: Be aware of available support systems and report any instances of discrimination.
**Administrators/Faculty/Staff in Higher Educational Institutions**
* **Impact**: Required to implement preventive and redressal measures.
* **Action Required**: Establish and maintain effective systems for student support, grievance redressal, and anti-discrimination policies, ensuring compliance with UGC regulations.
**University Grants Commission (UGC)**
* **Impact**: Responsible for ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination regulations and guidelines.
* **Action Required**: Monitor and enforce regulations, provide guidance to HEIs, and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented measures.
**Council of NITSER**
* **Impact**: Responsible for advising NITs on student welfare and emotional well-being.
* **Action Required**: Continue advising NITs and proactively mitigate the problems of students.
Key Entities Referenced
University Grants Commission (UGC): Regulator responsible for promoting and coordinating higher education in India, which has taken steps to prevent caste-based discrimination.
National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research ((NITSER) Act, 2007: Act governing the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and related institutions.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment: The ministry responsible for social justice and empowerment, including addressing discrimination.
UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012: Regulations by the UGC to prevent discrimination in higher educational institutions.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
CASTE DISCRIMINATION IN HIGHER
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
प्रव तथ: 02 DEC 2025 8:00PM by PIB Delhi
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education has informed that at present, thirty-one National
Institutes of Technology (NITs) and an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST),
Shibpur are functioning in the country as Institutions of National Importance governed by the National
Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research ((NITSER) Act, 2007 (29 of 2007). As
informed by Institutes, personal reasons/family issues/ Health related issues/ loss of money due to online
trading/ failed in an academic subject/ gaming etc. are some of the common causes of such incidents.
All the Institutes take proactive welfare measures to prevent harassment of students and have engaged
Counselors / Psychologists/ Doctors for counseling of students from time to time. The Institutes also have
SC/ST cells established in the Institution to look into the issues of students. In addition, the Institute’s own
faculties/ Wardens/ Mentors are also actively involved in helping Students to deal with a wide range of
concerns be it academic, personal, emotional. These Institutes conduct regular counseling sessions through
sensitization programs for the student’s community and have put in place provision of online registration
of complaints/ suggestions. Besides this, motivational lectures/ talks, meditation & yoga sessions, sports
meet, cultural meet are organized from time to time to inculcate a healthy atmosphere among students.
The Council of NITSER has also advised the Institutes to join hands in proactively mitigating the
problems of students and taking care of emotional well being during their stay in the campuses and help
them to remain joyful, positive and empower them to have better vision.
University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational
Institutions) Regulations, 2012 to give effect to the statutory provisions and policies for prevention of
discrimination on the grounds of caste, creed, religion, language, ethnicity, gender, disability.
The UGC has taken various steps for the Prevention of Caste Based Discrimination in HEIs. UGC has
issued various directives/instructions and guidelines to HEIs to have a mechanism to address grievances
related to discrimination. These include Equal Opportunity Cells, SC/ST Grievance Redressal Committees,
and Liaison Officers specifically designated to handle matters concerning SC/ST students and staff.
This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND
EMPOWERMENT, SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
*****
KV/HK
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2197829) आगंतुक पटल : 545
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही