IIT Bombay tightens anti-discrimination rules, bans caste and exam-rank queries
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay issued new guidelines prohibiting questions about caste, admission category or JEE rank, citing concerns over bias after a recent student death.
Following the death of a second-year student on September 18, IIT Bombay’s Office of the Dean of Student Affairs circulated an email updating the institute’s anti-discrimination policy. The revised guidelines forbid asking fellow students about their caste, admission category, JEE (Advanced) rank or other identifiers that could reveal socio-economic background, labeling such queries as potentially bias-inducing even if asked out of curiosity.
The institute reiterated its adherence to the Constitution’s reservation policy and warned that breaches could result in harsh penalties. It also urged the community to build friendships based on shared interests rather than personal background. The email is part of broader measures to improve student welfare and address grievances after the fatal incident, which has sparked month-long protests at the campus’s Justice Corner gate. Students claim similar notices were sent after a previous Dalit student’s death in 2023 and are demanding genuine dialogue instead of templated communications.
Why it matters
The policy aims to curb caste-based bias on campus, reflecting broader debates over discrimination and student safety in Indian higher education.
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