Dalit M.Ed. student Harassed at CSJMU Kanpur, NCSC Issues Notice

UTTAR PRADESH/KANPUR: A meritorious Dalit M.Ed. student at the School of Teacher Education within Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) has allegedly become the victim of relentless caste-based discrimination and severe mental harassment. The university's Head of Department (HOD), Dr. Tanuja Bhatt, alongside other faculty members, stands accused of intentionally targeting the student, sabotaging her academic evaluation, and creating a toxic environment steeped in caste prejudice.

The continuous torment has reportedly pushed the young scholar into a state of profound clinical depression. To ensure the safety and privacy of the victim and her family, their real names and identifying details have been strictly withheld from this report.

According to the victim's brother, the harassment began early in the academic session. Despite clearing the entrance examination on her own merit, the HOD allegedly subjected her to constant public humiliation regarding her rural background and simple attire.

The brother revealed that the faculty member hurled casteist slurs at her in front of classmates, shockingly stating that no matter what she achieved, her place would remain "four yards under the ground."

The mental toll of this alleged systemic abuse has been devastating. The victim's brother disclosed that she frequently wakes up screaming in the middle of the night, paralyzed by fear. The trauma escalated to the point where she lost consciousness on multiple occasions, necessitating immediate hospitalization and psychiatric care in a medical facility.

Beyond verbal abuse, the discrimination allegedly manifested in her academic results. The complaint states that the student's answer sheets were evaluated with overt bias, deliberately capping her score at a 6.49 CGPA to maliciously deny her a first-division grade, which requires a 6.50 CGPA.

Backing these claims, the family has provided audio evidence from an official university WhatsApp group. In these voice notes, the HOD is allegedly heard mocking the student's basic intellect, suggesting she seek admission in a nursery school to learn how to write her own name, and threatening her with dire consequences for the third semester.

Desperate for justice, the student filed a formal grievance regarding the psychological harassment on the UGC e-Samadhaan portal on July 18, 2026. However, the university administration summarily closed the complaint on September 28, relying on an internal action taken report that absolved the faculty of all wrongdoing.

The university's internal investigation report claimed that a departmental committee convened on July 9, 2026, and found no substantive evidence of discrimination or deliberate marking bias. The administration defended its evaluation process, stating that the university employs a strict coding system that conceals student identities during grading, making targeted bias impossible.

Furthermore, the report argued that the student actually secured higher marks in the accused HOD's subject compared to others, dismissing the allegations as entirely baseless. The victim's family, however, rejected this internal probe as a sham, noting that the committee comprised the very faculty members who allegedly enabled the harassment.

Refusing to be silenced by the university's apparent institutional cover-up, the family escalated the matter to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), which formally approved the complaint for processing on October 1, 2026.

On the same day, the Commission's Director issued a strict notice to both the Kanpur Police Commissioner and the Registrar of CSJMU. Taking serious cognizance of the allegations regarding casteist slurs and mental harassment, the NCSC has mandated a detailed action taken report within a strict 15-day deadline.

The Mooknayak has officially reached out to the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar of CSJMU via their designated official email IDs. We have submitted a detailed questionnaire seeking the university administration's official stance on these grave allegations. As soon as a response is received from the university officials, this news report will be updated to reflect their perspective.

Note: At the request of the victim's family, the personal identities of both the victim and the family members have been kept confidential in this report.