IIT Bombay anti-discrimination guidelines: ‘Inappropriate to ask other students about their JEE Advanced or GATE score’

The notification on anti-discrimination guidelines is circulated among students and also pasted at different locations on campus, especially in the hostel areas. “While the student asking the question may feel it is innocent and it may be driven purely by curiosity, asking the question can often have an adverse impact on the other student,” states the notification, adding that the institute wants students to bond with each other irrespective of factors such as caste, religion or socio-economic status.

Darshan’s death by suicide had sparked a conversation on many forms of caste-based discrimination on campuses of IITs. The question of asking JEE rank was foremost of the concerns raised by many as it indicated if the student is admitted on a reserved category seat. Darshan’s senior and his sister had alleged that after knowing his rank, Darshan’s roommate had reduced interacting with him.

The anti-discrimination guideline notification by the institute urges that “introduction, interaction or bonding of friends happens through commonalities like departments, sports, music, movies, schools, college, village, city, town, hobbies etc.” It also prohibits students from forwarding or exchanging messages, including jokes that are abusive, hateful, casteist, sexist or “exhibit bigotry e.g. based on religion or sexual orientation can be construed as harassment or bullying. And violation can lead to severe punishment.”

According to students, this is a first when the institute is actually communicating on what constitutes to discrimination on campus. “Anti-discrimination awareness until now has been more about grievance redressal on where to approach in case of a complaint under different types of discrimination. But not in the form of this type of sensitisation,” said a student adding that even now punishments are not defined. However, another student added, “Some of the guidelines were always communicated orally during freshmen orientation sessions and not for all students. In addition, this specific request to avoid rank discussion was told via mentors earlier, but it is now being made formal.”

The institute administration, however, clarified, “Each year, in the orientation session for new Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) entrants, various institute bodies/cells have always emphasized the zero-tolerance policy that IIT Bombay follows towards any form of discrimination. Each hostel and department/centre too have had posters from various cells. This year, the content from various cells, posters/orientations, in the context of anti-discrimination, has been compiled into one poster. This is also being circulated by the institute towards both new and existing students.”