Reward for caste harassment; Vijayakumari appointed to new post by central government

Thiruvananthapuram: Dr. Vijayakumari, the dean at Kerala University accused of caste-based harassment, has been nominated by the central government to the higher committee court of Pondicherry Central University. This marks the first time a female teacher from Kerala has received such a nomination.

Research student Vipin Vijayan had filed a complaint alleging that Vijayakumari subjected him to caste- based harassment. According to the complaint, she refused to sign his PhD open defence report and insulted him by referencing his caste in front of other teachers and guides. The student reportedly suffered significant mental distress as a result. Earlier reports also suggest that other students from different castes faced similar incidents. It is claimed that whenever a student left her office, she would clean the room with broom and water, implying it was “impure.”

Vipin further stated in a Facebook post that Vijayakumari, his MPhil guide at the Karyavattam campus, had been making caste -based remarks from the very beginning. On October 10, during his PhD open discussion, the committee chairman Anil Pratap Giri recommended the PhD, but Dean Vijayakumari opposed it and spread claims that the student did not know Sanskrit.

Despite complaints to the vice- chancellor, no action was taken. Vipin then approached the police, the Higher Education Minister, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission. Minister R Bindu requested a report from the university vice -chancellor regarding the incident.

From the outset, BJP and its allies have shielded Dr. Vijayakumari, and her appointment to the Pondicherry University committee court appears to reinforce their support for her.