SC panel writes to IIT Kharagpur, seeks reply after video shows professor ‘abusing’ students

The panel's reaction comes after a video of the alleged incident, involving the professor and a class of SC/ST students, went viral on social media

IIT-Kharagpur | Representational Image | Commons

New Delhi: Two days after the video of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur professor abusing a class of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) students as “bloody b*^#@$%!” emerged on social media, the National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the use of “unparliamentary language” and “castiest remarks”, allegedly made by the professor and sought a reply from IIT-Kharagpur, the education ministry, and the West Bengal government within 15 days.

“Whereas the Commission has taken a suo motu cognisance of use of unparliamentary language and castiest remarks made by Prof. Seema Singh, IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal while taking online class of SC/ST students circulating on social media. Her remarks have hurt the sentiments of many Indians specifically the SC community and the Commission has decided to investigate/inquire into the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India,” read the letter sent by the NCSC.

ThePrint has a copy of the letter.

The professor — identified as Seema Singh from the department of humanities and social sciences — was teaching students of a preparatory class when the alleged incident happened.

Preparatory class is a batch of SC/ST and differently abled students, who are unable to get direct admission to IIT through JEE Advanced and are given one year of preparatory class at an IIT to qualify for a seat next year.

In the video, the professor also seemed to be threatening students that she would complain to their parents about their behaviour in class.

The video first emerged on the page of the Facebook community ‘KGP Confessions’ Sunday and then started circulating on various social media platforms, later finding prominence in IIT’s alumni circles.

‘An unfortunate incident’

NCSC chairman, Vijay Sampla, while talking to ThePrint, confirmed that the commission had written to both the institute and the education ministry and termed the alleged incident at the IIT as “unfortunate”.

“The incident at IIT Kharagpur is very unfortunate, the person who has to impart education is speaking in such a language. Can we call them educated?” Sampla questioned. “Teachers who have such a mindset should not be given the responsibility of SC-ST students. The commission has taken note of the incident and sought a report from IIT Kharagpur and the Ministry of Education too.”

This is not the first time that the IIT has faced Sampla’s ire.

In December 2020, a panel comprising IIT directors and government officials had suggested that IITs be exempted from caste-based reservations in faculty hiring, because they are ‘institutes of national importance’.

“The oft-repeated statement is that they don’t get qualified faculty and if such incidents [the alleged abuse by the professor] take place how will SC students get educated? This incident is unfortuante. We should not forget that the holy Ramayana and the Constitution of the country were written by Dalits,” Sampla said.

(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)