Years before Sahil’s death, IIT-B professor warned students against caste discrimination
An email from a former IIT Bombay dean has resurfaced, showing early efforts to curb caste-based discrimination among students. The message explicitly prohibited students from asking about admission categories or ranks to prevent bias and foster an inclusive environment.
Why it matters
It highlights ongoing institutional challenges regarding caste discrimination and the efforts of academic leadership to address social inequality.
MUMBAI: A 2024 email sent by IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was then the institute’s Dean of Student Affairs, has resurfaced amid allegations of caste discrimination made by the family of student Sahil Wakode, who died by suicide last week.In the email, prof Doolla cautioned students against asking fellow students about their admission categories, JEE (Advanced) ranks or GATE scores, saying such questions could reveal their caste or whether they belonged to a reserved category.The email said IIT Bombay aimed to promote an inclusive campus where students interacted with each other irrespective of caste, religion or socio-economic status."IIT Bombay considers it inappropriate to ask a fellow student what birth/admission category they belong to: asking this could lead to conscious or subconscious bias.It is equally inappropriate for any person (students/staff/faculty-members) to ask other students about their JEE (Advanced) ranks/GATE-scores, or any other information that may reveal the caste or other…
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