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Former IIT prof moves OBC panel over ‘caste bias’ at the institute
Vipin P Veetil, who joined the department of humanities and social sciences in March 2019, resigned on July 1 and in his resignation letter alleged that he was moving to another institution due to caste bias at IIT-Madras.
A former assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, who resigned from the institution in July alleging caste-based discrimination, has approached the National Commission for Backward Classes in Delhi and complained that he was denied opportunities due to his caste.
Vipin P Veetil, who joined the department of humanities and social sciences in March 2019, resigned on July 1 and in his resignation letter alleged that he was moving to another institution due to caste bias at IIT-Madras.
“I filed a complaint last Thursday and I’ve asked for the head of the department of humanities and sciences to temporarily step down from the position until investigations are over,” Veetil said.
He said that he has also applied to return to IIT-Madras. “It’s within the in lien period of one year (to withdraw resignation) so I’ve expressed interest to (re)join,” Veetil said. He added that he wanted to take the issue up so that others did not face discrimination in the institution.
Veetil belongs to the other backward class community. IIT-M did not respond to requests for a comment.
His resignation on July 1 triggered outrage among activists and educationists due to serious allegations of caste bias. “The discrimination came from individuals in position of power, irrespective of their claimed political affiliations and gender,” he said in his email at the time, which was leaked to reporters.
In response, on July 2, IIT-Madras said, “Any complaint received by the institute from employees and students is attended to promptly through the established process of redressing grievances.” The institute, one of the country’s finest, didn’t comment on the specifics of his e-mail.
Veetil has a Ph.D in Economics from the George Mason University in the US ; he was subsequently a postdoctoral fellow in Paris, according to the faculty page of IIT-Madras website. He completed his undergraduate degree from the University of Delhi in 2006.
The National Commission for Backward Classes is a constitutional body and has quasi-judicial powers , similar to those of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission of Scheduled Tribes , to decide on complaints of discrimination by OBC community members.
