QUOTA’S CHILDREN THE PERILS OF GETTING EDUCATED--fss presentation.pptx

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1. QUOTA’S CHILDREN THE PERILS OF GETTING EDUCATED Aadishwar, Mahi, Prachi, Reyaan, Sanika, Sarbani & Yuvraj

2. Often credited to the arrival of the “Aryans” to north India. The system is primarily based on the occupations and division of labour. The varna system gained prevalence in the Vedic period. it is a segmented hierarchical division of society. Each Caste is bound by rules and conventions. Regional variations in nomenclature. Even in the glory days of Taxila and Nalanda, the shudras were ostracised, even from these educational institutions . THE INDIAN “CASTE” SYSTEM

3. “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India awakens to life and freedom” Article 17. "Untouchability" is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of "Untouchability" shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law. Article 15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

4. • In 1980, B.P. Mandal submitted the Mandal commission report. •The findings of the report suggested reservation for Other Backward classes, who make up a majority of the country’s population. •They recommended that reservation of 27% of jobs under the central government and public sector undertakings and seats in the higher education institutions be granted to Scheduled castes & tribes and OBCs. •A decade later the V.P Singh government declared their intent of implementing the recommendations of this report. The Principle of Merit •In August 1990, the V.P. Singh government implemented the reservation policies suggested by the Mandal Commission Report. •Stating that there was severe backlash, (especially by college students) would be an understatement. •Throughout North India (mainly), with Delhi University as a hub, Protests, strikes and “bandhs” (blockades) were organised. •There were multiple self-immolations throughout (Rajiv Goswami incident) MANDAL COMMISSION REPORT

5. LIFE IN the UNIVERSITY CAMPUS In 1991, the author N Sukumar entered the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) to pursue Master’s degree in Political Science. The Dalit students in the campus were almost invisible to the upper caste people. It was due to the constitutional mandate, that the Dalits got entry into the institutions, but they had to face a lot of discrimination. The whole admission process is reflective of the discriminative nature of the institution. Both the student union and the authorities display unhelpful attitude towards the quota’s children when they seek any help. They were given CONDITIONAL ADMISSION. Dalit students were made to feel like outsiders and the caste prejudices were very evident on campus. The body language and mannerisms of the upper caste people were threatening to the Dalit students.

6. They had to face caste-related ragging and the authorities were always silent on such incidents. The incident of ragging of Dalit student by eight upper caste students. A committee to solve ragging related issues was formed but it failed to act effectively. Such ragging incidents make these students dropout of their courses. There is caste-based discrimination even in personal relationships. Unequal treatment towards Dalit students even when giving punishments.

7. In 2002, 10 students were rusticated from the university because there was an altercation between the authorities and students on the issue of central purchasing committee system in mess. Within a single stroke, only one incident curtailed the careers of 10 deserving students. On 24 February 2008, Senthil Kumar who was a PhD scholar in Physics and who belonged to a pig-rearing community in Tamil Nadu, committed suicide. He failed to clear his coursework twice and he killed himself because of humiliation and desperation. Not to forget that the Brahminical ‘meritocracy’ is responsible for abetting his suicide. The Ambedkar student association (ASA) called for a public meeting after Senthil Kumar’s suicide. The absence of liberal and progressive faculty and students reflects the deep-rooted prejudices in the institution.

8. CULTURAL CONFLICTS ON CAMPUS Dalit students often suffer from social exclusion at functions and orientation events where they are ignored and sidelined. The socioeconomic factors affecting Dalit students limit their ability to be with society, as they don’t have the resources to ‘present themselves well.’ Higher-caste students avoid interacting with Dalit students to protect their social status and do not even share their study materials. Shopkeepers on campus deny credit to dalit students. Upper-caste students and management objected to a Dalit stall selling beef biryani in 2006 on grounds of "impurity." Separation within caste groups combined with limited social interaction creates confinement that creates cycles of exclusion, especially in higher education.

9. AN EXAMPLE Another instance of cultural conflict on university campuses linked to caste emerged during the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) debate held in 2015 at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) and Jawahralal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi. The APSC was accused of planning debates and presentations on caste inequalities. The subjects covered were the caste system, Brahminical dominance, and injustices depending on caste. The group raised issues about caste discrimination inside the university and tried to confront the dominant, upper-caste culture. Considering the "misuse of privileges" the government decided to disband APSC as a corrective action. It infuriated the students belonging to the Dalit and backward classes because they felt that this was a violation of the right to free expression to resist caste prejudice. Protests against the ruling flared up everywhere. Though the government ultimately repealed the restriction responding to the public outcry, this incident underlined the way in which caste-based cultural conflicts might arise even in highly reputed academic institutions.

10. CLASSROOM ENCOUNTERS Dalits were identified on the basis of a symbol during admission process. Dalit students due to their lack of adequate language skills were unable to keep up in class. Breaking into research is often problematic. Students face harassment and are unable to publish their work. First generation learners have to support themselves, their families and peers. Any curtailment of their fellowship is like a death penalty, These ‘Quota’s Children’ are often considered to enjoy all the benefit while not valuing their academics, according to their peers.

11. Indian poet and author Om Prakash Valmiki is well-known for his contributions to Hindi writing, especially in the area of Dalit literature. Social issues, caste prejudice, and the challenges of marginalised populations are frequently covered in his work. He discussed the discrimination they encountered at school at various places in his book Joothan.He says: “During the examinations we could not drink water from the glass when thirsty. To drink water, we had to cup our hands. The peon would pour water from way high up, lest our hands touch the glass”.

12. The Dalit students almost never share rooms with their upper-caste classmates and they are often subjected to belittlement, casteist slurs and physical threats. Dalit students couldn’t participate in ‘normal college’ activities, such as eating out or going to a movie, because of lack of resources resulting in greater social exclusion. Ration cards are strictly separated, and special dishes, especially non-veg food is not allowed. It happens many times that the dining hall is divided among students and non-dalit students make anti-dalit comments in front of other classmates. . These Dalit students are heavily scrutinized and are often ridiculed for merely existing and accused of unfairly profiting from reservations. HOSTEL LIFE

13. AN EXAMPLE It was in the year of 2012 that a case of caste discrimination came to the spotlight at Kirori Mal College of the University of Delhi. It so happened that a Dalit student of the Hindi department lodged a complaint against a professor who had publicly humiliated her in her class. According to her complaint, the professor used derogatory caste-based slurs and questioned her capabilities while mocking her background. The agitation by students over this incident caught the attention of student bodies from Dalit student bodies leading to protests and demonstrations. This case reflects the level at which casteism prevails on the campus of DU, which is not confined to the hostel, canteen or even inside a classroom but permeates all walks of life. Dalit students are often shunned from informal social circles as they are jeered or simply ignored by their classmates for their socioeconomic background. This incident is a consistent example of how Dalit students face humiliation, exclusion, and inferiority. Grievances have led to some changes, but such matters are usually buried in institutional apathy, so the DU campus remains hostile forever.

14. The author wrote an article on Senthil Kumar and experiences of dalit students The responses he received on that varied from total disbelief to appreciation. Out of the total responses, 19 respondents were dalit and they endorsed the arguments he made. One of the responses was from a faculty member from the university and he had observed that the language of abuse has been transformed. He had noticed that many dalit girls were being addressed as BEHENJI who's literally meaning was sisters but it was being used to make a derogatory reference to Mayawati (former CM OF UP, who is a dalit) The remaining responses from the non dalit consisted of assortment of disbelief or a grudging acquiescence of the everyday humiliation of dalit students. THE NARRATIVE OF SUFFERING/ SOLIDARITY

15. One of the Muslim research scholars advocated for a broad alliance of dalits and Muslims to challenge the Brahminical ideology The respondents also included the author’s students and their responses included:- Non dalit students: expressed ignorance of such behaviour A student from a secluded and protected background: she had not been aware of such discrimination. One of the respondents included a dalit woman and she expressed her frustration at the different levels of education. She states that their struggle starts after graduation but we (dalits and other people from lower caste) start our struggle from our childhood. She talks about not being considered meritorious despite having mental calibre Her friends always remark that she can easily land a job because she belongs to a category, completely ignoring her skills and abilities.

16. The Dalit identity is superimposed Despite the presence of detailed policy of affirmative action, the roster system is hard to be implemented The initiative of forming an organisation to fight against discrimination was met with a lukewarm response Even if you reach the highest authority dalits are considered a different community (not allowed to mix with the crowd) THE WOUND NEVER HEALS

17. Dalithood is constantly buttressed Dalits have to ceaselessly labour to prove their ‘merit’ Exclusion in education plays a pivotal role in shaping social exclusion. So, inclusive education is looked upon as an agenda to develop an equitable education system which reflects the fundamentals of an equitable society

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