Protests erupt at IIM-Bengaluru over alleged caste discrimination and reservation violations; Protesters demand the director’s removal

Bengaluru: A group of people on Wednesday protested against alleged “caste discrimination” at the Indian Institute of Management-Bengaluru (IIM-B) and demanded the removal of its director.

IIM Bangalore, however, dismissed the protesters’ allegations.

About the protest

The protest organized at Freedom Park was organized by the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA), the Dr. BR Ambedkar Association of Engineers and the OBC Federation of India.

The protesters demanded implementation of reservation and alleged that IIM-B did not follow reservation guidelines for SC, ST and OBC communities.

Citing an RTI filed by the AIOBCSA, the protesters demanded full compliance with constitutional provisions on reservations for SC, ST and OBC students, faculty and staff at IIM-B.

They also demanded setting up of SC, ST and OBC cells and pushed for removal of IIM-B director for “alleged violation of reservation policy” and “harassment” of faculty members who raise concerns about diversity and inclusion.

Statement from IIM-Bengaluru

In a statement, IIMB said the institute has long prioritized promoting an inclusive work environment and promoting growth and development for all stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including SC, ST and OBC communities.

It added that the institute has set up a Diversity and Inclusion Cell and a Diversity and Inclusion Grievance Redressal Committee (DIGRC) to address grievances and ensure a discrimination-free environment.

IIM-B emphasized that it has strict anti-discrimination policies and procedures in place to prevent discrimination or harassment based on caste. The institute is also in the process of implementing reservation for faculty posts under the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2019.

The statement also noted that the institute publishes a continuous advertisement for teacher recruitment on its website, which specifically mentions the reservation policy as per the law.

Additionally, IIMB launched special recruitment drive for candidates from reserved categories in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Since 2019, over 10 new faculty members from SC, ST and OBC categories have joined the institute.

The IIMB clarified that there are “no restrictions on employees raising questions regarding the functioning of the institute provided they follow the institutional service rules. The institute encourages constructive feedback to improve inclusion.”

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