New Delhi: Dr. Ashok Kumar, a Dalit faculty member at Delhi University (DU) who has participated in critical experiments at Europe's renowned physics laboratory CERN, has been declared "Not Found Suitable" (NFS) for promotion to the position of professor. This decision has raised questions about whether it was influenced by his caste identity.
The verdict has sparked allegations of bias due to his Dalit background. Dr. Kumar has not only contributed to significant experiments at the European Organization for Nuclear Research but also boasts exceptional academic achievements. Despite this, DU's selection panel promoted two of his junior colleagues instead, deepening the controversy.
Notably, CERN, established in 1954, is located near the Franco-Swiss border in Geneva. It was one of Europe's first joint ventures and now has 24 member states and 10 associate member states, operating the world's largest particle physics laboratory.
Dr. Ashok Kumar is an Associate Professor in DU's Department of Physics and Astrophysics. He has played a key role at CERN as a scientist and technical coordinator. His research impact is reflected in his h-index of 120, far exceeding the average h-index of Indian professors, which is below 20. The h-index measures a researcher's productivity and influence based on citations of their publications. Additionally, Dr. Kumar was honored with the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for 2025, underscoring his excellence in the field.
In June this year, a DU selection panel chaired by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh interviewed three associate professors applying for promotion under the Career Advancement Scheme. The panel included four subject experts, a professor from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, and a nominee of the Visitor. After the interviews, the panel declared Dr. Kumar "unsuitable" while promoting his two junior colleagues. The decision shocked many, given Dr. Kumar's far superior academic credentials.
The Social Democratic Teachers’ Front (SDTF) and the National Confederation of Dalit Organizations (NACDOR) have condemned the decision as caste-based discrimination. NACDOR Chairman Ashok Bharti claimed that 90% of "unsuitable" rulings in universities involve candidates from SC, Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) communities.
He alleged that interview panels are often dominated by upper-caste members who exhibit bias against non-Savarna candidates. SDTF has also raised concerns about lack of transparency and prejudice in the selection process, demanding video recordings of interviews and the VC's resignation.
On May 27, Sharing a video on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “‘Not Found Suitable’ is the new Manuvad. Qualified SC/ST/OBC candidates are being deliberately declared ‘unsuitable’—so they can be kept away from education and leadership.” He stated that while Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar called education the greatest tool for equality, the Modi government is busy weakening this tool.
Citing Delhi University as an example, he had pointed out that over 60% of reserved professor posts and over 30% of reserved associate professor posts remain vacant under the pretext of NFS. "This is not an exception. The same conspiracy is happening everywhere—in IITs, central universities. NFS is an attack on the Constitution. NFS is a betrayal of social justice," Rahul said.
A subject expert on the selection panel defended the decision, calling it a collective verdict based on Dr. Kumar's subject knowledge and leadership skills. However, given Dr. Kumar’s unparalleled academic record, this explanation has failed to satisfy critics who believe his qualifications were unfairly overlooked.
Dr. Ashok Kumar’s case highlights the pervasive issue of caste discrimination in India’s higher education institutions. Denying promotion to such a highly accomplished academic not only impacts his career but also raises serious doubts about the fairness of merit-based selection processes.
The Mooknayak has reached out to DU's Vice-Chancellor and Registrar for their response and will update the story upon receiving their comments.
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