IIM Bangalore Under Fire: Professor Accused of Caste Bias Promoted, Dalit Complainant Denied

Bengaluru- The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) is under renewed scrutiny over alleged inconsistencies in faculty promotion practices, particularly in how pending investigations are handled, amid a long-standing controversy involving caste-based discrimination claims.

The issue centers on Associate Professor Gopal Das, a Scheduled Caste (SC) faculty member in the Marketing area who has been denied promotion since 2022, with the administration citing a pending investigation as the reason. However, Prof. Ashish Mishra, who is named in both a civil and a criminal case, was recently promoted to full professor.

Das had alleged systemic caste-based discrimination, including public humiliation, exclusion from committees and activities, restricted resource access, and denial of equal opportunities. These claims first gained prominence in early 2024 when he wrote to President Droupadi Murmu during her visit to the institute, prompting a probe by Karnataka's Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE).

The investigation reportedly found prima facie violations and recommended initiation of criminal proceedings.

A criminal case, FIR No. 0467/2024, registered on December 2024 at the  Mico Layout Police Station, Bengaluru, names eight accused including IIM Bangalore Director Dr. Rishikesh T. Krishnan and 7 Professors Dr. Dinesh Kumar, Dr. Sainesh G, Dr. Srinivas Prakhya, Dr. Chetan Subramanian, Dr. Ashish Mishra, Dr. Srilatha Jonnalagedda and Dr. Rahul De. These individuals stand accused under various provisions of the SC-ST Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for caste-based atrocities and systemic discrimination.

The case remains pending before the court, and proceedings against some accused were stayed by the Karnataka High Court in late 2024.

In contrast, Professor Ashish Mishra, also from the Marketing area and named as one of the accused in the same FIR and related proceedings, has reportedly been promoted to full professor recently. This differential treatment has sparked questions about procedural fairness, consistency in applying promotion rules (which reportedly bar or defer advancements during active investigations), and potential indirect discrimination.

A representation addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, submitted by Nagsen Sonare, National President of Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar National Association of   Engineers (BANAE) highlights these disparities. Speaking with The Mooknayak, Sonare stated , " institutions such as IIM Bangalore are bound by The IIM Act (as amended),Government of India policies on reservation and promotion, and the constitutional mandates under Articles 14, 15, 16, and 17 of the Constitution of India."

He stressed that his representation does not seek adjudication of individual disputes, nor does it invite comment on matters pending before courts. " It humbly seeks that the apparent deviation in promotion norms and the adequacy of institutional safeguards against caste-based discrimination be examined by the appropriate constitutional or statutory authority, based on existing records", Sonare added.