A group of senior Dalit faculty members at Bangalore University have raised serious concerns over alleged caste-based discrimination, threatening to resign from their administrative roles. As per an Indian Express report, ten professors—currently holding key positions—signed a letter addressed to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Jayakara Shetty on July 2, detailing their grievances.
In their letter, the professors accused the university of sidelining them by assigning only “supervisory” responsibilities without real authority or acknowledgement, despite their years of academic and administrative service. They called this a “discriminatory policy” aimed at marginalising Dalit faculty members.
The group also pointed out that certain benefits they previously received—such as earned leave (EL) encashment and administrative duty compensation—have been withdrawn without any official explanation. Multiple representations and appeals to university authorities, they say, have gone unanswered.
“This is not just a personal protest,” one professor, requesting anonymity, told The Indian Express. “It is a collective stand against systemic exclusion and denial of rightful entitlements.”
In response, the university acknowledged the faculty’s contributions in roles such as Coordinators, Directors, Special Officers, and Study Centre Chairs. These positions, the university noted, are classified as essential services and carry similar accountability as department heads.
However, it also clarified that in departments where the role of Head has not been officially sanctioned due to the absence of approved bylaws, Coordinating Officers are being used in an interim capacity until amendments are made.
The professors maintain that the lack of formal recognition and continued delays represent more than administrative oversight—they reflect a deeper, systemic bias within the institution.
