NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has seriously intervened in caste discrimination in higher education institutions in the wake of the suicides of Dalit students Rohit Vemula and Dr Payal Tadvi. A bench comprising Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundaresh directed the UGC to report the steps it took to end caste discrimination on campuses. The court observed that caste discrimination is a highly emotive issue

The apex court's intervention came in the petition filed by Rohit Vemula's mother Radhika Vemula and Payal Tadvi's mother Abeda Salim Tadvi. The petitioners demanded that guidelines be issued to create a better environment for Dalit students in higher education institutions.

Indira Jaising, counsel for the petitioners, argued that the rules framed by the UGC in 2012 were insufficient to ensure equality on campuses. The court will consider the plea again after four weeks.

UGC to give a reply on

1. How to address the concerns of the petition including caste discrimination

2. Steps taken so far and steps to be taken

3. How to help Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students to reach the mainstream?

• Rohit Vemula, who was a research student at the Central University of Hyderabad, committed suicide on January 17, 2016. He was also an activist of the Ambedkar Students Association.
• Dr. Payal Thadvi, a second year PG student at TN Topiwala National Medical College, Mumbai, committed suicide on May 22, 2019. Three senior female students were arrested.