Bengaluru: In a decisive move, the Karnataka government is set to table the Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025, a sweeping legislation designed to penalise caste-based discrimination, including instances where General Category (GC) students or staff discriminate against marginalised groups. With provisions for jail terms up to three years and institutional fines reaching ₹10 lakh, the Bill marks one of the strongest legal interventions by any state to curb systemic caste bias on campuses.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government will introduce the Bill during the winter session of the Legislature, from 8 to 19 December. Its introduction follows strong advocacy from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who wrote to the Chief Minister in April 2025 urging Karnataka to enact a dedicated “Rohith Vemula law” to prevent exclusion in educational settings.
Named after Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula, who died by suicide in January 2016 at the University of Hyderabad, the Bill seeks to address entrenched caste-based inequalities in academic institutions. Vemula’s death, and his heart-wrenching note stating, “My birth was my fatal accident,” ignited nationwide protests against systemic discrimination. The new legislation aims to ensure similar injustices are not repeated.
The proposed Bill directly addresses discrimination, direct, indirect and institutional, committed by students, faculty or administrative staff. In many cases, marginalised students have accused GC peers of harassment, exclusion, or invoking casteist behaviour that goes unchecked due to institutional apathy.
The government says the Bill is specifically designed to plug these gaps and empower victims.
The draft law covers discriminatory conduct, behaviour, omission, policy, custom, criterion, or informal practices that result in harassment or exclusion in campuses.
One of the most talked-about provisions is its punitive framework, which makes discrimination a cognizable, non-bailable offence.
For individuals, including GC students or staff found guilty, the penalties are tough:
First offence:
Up to one-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000, extendable to ₹1 lakh.
Repeat offence:
A stringent three-year prison term along with a ₹1 lakh fine.
Institutions too will face accountability. If any college or university violates the requirement of being “open to all classes, castes, creed, gender or nation,” it may be fined a minimum of ₹1 lakh and up to ₹10 lakh. This includes discriminatory admission practices, biased disciplinary action, or institutional negligence in addressing caste complaints.
The Bill mandates the formation of Equity Committees, similar to Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) created under sexual harassment laws. Aggrieved individuals, students, faculty or non-teaching staff, can approach this panel with complaints of discrimination.
If the victim is unsatisfied with the institution’s response, the matter can escalate to district courts or the High Court, giving stronger legal backing to survivors.
The Bill has sparked intense debate across Karnataka.
Supporters argue that GC students often remain shielded by privilege, allowing discriminatory behaviour to go unchecked. They believe this legislation finally establishes a strong deterrent and creates a safer, more inclusive environment. They see the Bill as a fitting tribute to Rohith Vemula and a necessary step to protect marginalised communities who continue to face subtle and overt discrimination in higher education.
Critics, largely from the BJP, say the state already has adequate legal safeguards, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They claim the new Bill is politically motivated, may be misused, and could encourage false complaints or “reverse discrimination” against GC students.
