The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has taken cognizance of a complaint made by the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a student collective body at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, alleging anti-reservation sentiments.
The APPSC, in June, had issued a complaint to several authorities, one of which was the NCST, asking it to look into the inadequate mental health support system present for students belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes at the IIT.
The complaint was filed after the head counselor of the student wellness center at IIT Bombay was accused of carrying anti-reservationist sentiments based on her social media posts. “The students do not feel safe or comfortable going to talk about their mental health issues to such a person who is sharing their casteist views against a constitutional provision for representation of underrepresented communities,” stated the email filed by the APPSC.
@ncsthq has taken cognisance of our complaint regarding anti reservation sentiments by the head counsellor of SWC in @iitbombay and about the lack of mental health support for SC ST Students in IITs. @ndtv @Profdilipmandal @Xpress_edex @Sumitchauhaan @the_hindu @htTweets https://t.co/AajSIRI1h3 pic.twitter.com/oJ01KxVmQg— APPSC IIT Bombay (@AppscIITb) November 5, 2022
A November 1 dated notification sent to the state education department and a copy to APPSC states, “The commission has decided to investigate or inquire the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338A of the constitution of India. You are hereby requested to submit the facts and information on the action taken on the allegations or matters to the undersigned within 15 days of receipt of this notice either by post or in person or by any other means of communication.”
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APPSC alleged that Hima Chhatbar Anaredy, the head counselor of the Student Wellness Centre (SWC), had posted a casteist remark on her social media handle that led to furor following which APPSC approached NCST to initiate take action against those who made such remarks.
The comment was posted by Anaredy in 2015 but as it was still in the public domain SC, ST students felt uncomfortable in availing the mental health counseling services from the SWC.
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