“NALSAR University of Law is fully committed to the cause of SC/ST and other marginalized communities. University shares their pain and sufferings and fully sympathizes with their cause and grievances”, said D. Balakrishna, Convenor SC/ST Cell of the University.
He said recently a news-item about SC/ST students’ treatment at NALSAR appeared in some newspapers which has pained the university authorities. The Vice-Chancellor was shocked to read this report which is nothing but a figment of someone’s imagination. Some very significant steps were taken at the University after 2012 such as “allotment of hostel through lottery” so that SC/ST students are not segregated from other students and establishment of a full-fledged SC/ST cell with all the facilities in place. Number of lectures by leading Dalit scholars such as Prof. Kancha Ilaiah, Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, Prof. Dharampal Peehal were organized so that all our students get the dalit perspective of our social, economic and legal issues.
NALSAR gets just five SC/ST scholarships from Government of India even though it admits large number of SC/ST students. The University does not get any recurring grants from the government and is therefore dependent on the student’s fee. Sometimes there is a delay from the Central Government in sending scholarship grants to the University but as soon as University receives money from the Government of India, it immediately transfers it to the scholarship awardees. The other crucial fact is that University admits students through CLAT and fee is to be paid to CLAT office.
The University has outsourced its mess facility and a private contractor runs the university mess. “The University even pays mess dues of its SC/ST students when Government of India does not transfer money or delays it for several years”, said SC/ST Cell Convenor. A case in point is of one Mr. Arun Kumar (name changed) who was awarded scholarship in 2009-10, but for the last three years the University did not get his scholarship yet his mess charges were each month paid by the University so that his studies do not suffer. The University finally received his scholarship amount only in 2014.
Recognizing the deficiency in the communication skills of SC/ST students, the University invited one Prof. Antony Thomas at a huge cost from Pune for training these students. Similarly special privileges are being given to SC/ST students to clear their examination, said Vice-President of Student Bar Council.
Unlike previous years, Dr.Ambedkar Jayanthi in last three years was celebrated at a large scale with leading scholars from India and abroad being invited to give their talk. Mr. Ashok Kumar told Vice-Chancellor that he would get sponsorship of about 2 lakh for this program yet he could raise a meager amount of Rs.25,000/- and the same was released to him towards expenditure but he has not yet submitted receipts for this amount. University incurred a loss of Rs.1.60 lakhs as there was no provision in the budget for organizing this program at such a large scale.
It is the general policy of University like all other universities in the country to withhold result of the students who do not clear their dues. Present Vice-Chancellor has not made this policy. The concerned students were also released book allowance after they had given their undertaking that they would submit a receipt of purchase of books as required by the Government of India. Two of them have not yet submitted the receipts which are to be sent to the Government of India and therefore the examination department withheld their result. “If the University does not keep proper accounts of scholarship amount, the Government of India would declare the University as defaulter and there would be an audit para against the University which would mean other well deserving students would not get much needed scholarship”, said Vice-Chancellor. He also said that “Group Rights of marginalized communities are close to his heart as he teaches this subject.” The Vice-Chancellor has also proposed a lower pass percentage for the SC/ST students and a more flexible promotion scheme for them. The matter is under consideration by the University bodies.
The Vice-Chancellor has not received any representation from these students for declaration of their results. The Vice-Chancellor has ordered all University officials to treat all Dalit students with utmost dignity and respect as the University believes in equality of all its students and would never shy away from rendering help of every kind to deserving SC/ST students. (NSS)