Karnataka Set to Introduce Rohith Vemula Bill to End Caste Discrimination in Higher Education

Bangalore Mail Staff Reporter

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government is preparing to table the Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025 in the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature. The move is part of broader Karnataka government education reforms 2025 aimed at eliminating caste bias in higher education institutions. The Bill is expected to receive Cabinet approval on Thursday.

If enacted, the legislation will protect the rights of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minority students across public, private, and deemed universities in Karnataka. It seeks to guarantee student dignity and equality in higher education, ensuring that no learner faces exclusion based on caste, class, or religion.

Minister HC Mahadevappa: ‘Inhuman treatment cannot be tolerated’

Speaking exclusively to Bangalore Mail, Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa said the Bill was a crucial step in preventing caste bias in Karnataka’s education system.

“Students from backward classes have faced inhuman treatment and even mental harassment. This law will safeguard their rights and instill confidence,” Mahadevappa said, stressing the government’s commitment to social justice in Indian universities.

When asked whether the law might extend to pre-university and school students, Mahadevappa said the decision would be taken after further discussions.

Strict penalties for offenders

According to officials, the proposed law will carry penalties for caste-based discrimination in colleges. University and college authorities who fail to act could face imprisonment, loss of government grants, and non-bailable charges. These measures form part of anti-caste discrimination law in Karnataka designed to protect vulnerable communities on campus.

Remembering Rohith Vemula and his legacy

The Bill is named after Rohith Chakravarthi Vemula, a Dalit PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad whose 2016 death by suicide sparked nationwide outrage. Vemula was a prominent figure in the Ambedkarite student movement in India and an advocate for Dalit rights and campus discrimination awareness. His case became a rallying point for social equality initiatives and calls for legal reform in academia.

Government’s commitment to equality

Earlier this year, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to enact the legislation, referring to it as the Rohith Vemula Act. In response, Siddaramaiah reaffirmed his government’s stand on higher education reforms for SC, ST, and OBC students:

“We will bring this law at the earliest to honour the dreams of Rohith, Payal, Darshan, and countless others who deserved dignity, not exclusion.”

Once passed, the Karnataka Rohith Vemula Bill will become one of India’s most comprehensive legal protections for minority students in higher education, furthering the state’s role as a leader in social justice and education equality.