‘Offensive’ skit on Ambedkar, Dalits: Six students of Jain University suspended
Bengaluru: Six students of Jain University Centre for Management Studies were suspended, after a video went viral on social media, showing them enacting a skit that allegedly made offensive remarks against Dr B R Ambedkar as well as Dalits.
An officer of Jain University has said that a disciplinary committee of experts had been constituted as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to investigate the matter, reports The Indian Express.
The college is organizing a youth festival that will continue till February 20 and the suspended students were performing at the festival. The matter came to light on Thursday.
Aakshay Bansode, state member of the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, filed a police complaint and requested police superintendent of Nanded in Maharashtra to take action against the students as well as the Jain University.
Bansode has alleged that the skit is highly casteist and that it is performed with ill motives ‘to intentionally insult and humiliate the community and people belonging to it’. “Moreover, the derogatory and defamatory statement about Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is also highly offensive at large and showcases intention of the performers and the university authorities as this act went through various checks yet was allowed to perform on stage and publish it on social media,” Bansode has alleged in his complaint.
Jain University authorities have stated that the University has submitted before the public ‘an unconditional apology’. They have added that the matter is being probed. “The skit’s intention was to highlight the anti-caste system in the country. However, the students went a little overboard in their presentation. As soon as we realised that the skit was offensive, we immediately suspended the boys. We also called the students’ parents and informed them about the incident. As per UGC guidelines the university has also formed a disciplinary committee that will take a decision in the matter after an inquiry,” said an officer of the University.
He further clarified, “Since the skit was a part of Mad-Ads, the performance was an extempore. Although it highlights the anti-caste system prevailing in society, the students took more liberty. We totally condemn the act.”
Members of The Delroys Boys, a theatre group from CMS, who performed the skit, have stated on Instagram that the skit did not reflect discrimination. The group has also issued a public apology in the matter. The Instagram account of The Delroys Boys, however, appears to have been deactivated.
@JainDeemedtbUnv Bangalore students Who made hate speech against Dalit community and our leader Dr.Babasaheb in their university event. Video is in next tweet.I filed complent today at @NandedPolice
— Aakshay Bansode (@Aakshay_Bansode) February 9, 2023
Also Rqstng @BlrCityPolice and @JainDeemedtbUnv take action against the student pic.twitter.com/zX3FZUGrJY
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SC wants to know if FIRs filed over suicides of IIT student, NEET aspirant
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought to know if FIRs were registered after suicides of a IIT Kharagpur student and a NEET aspirant in Kota, Rajasthan, came to light.
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan directed its registry to call for a report from both places at the earliest.
The top court noted a 22-year-old student studying in IIT, Kharagpur, was found hanging in his hostel room on May 4, 2025.
"The deceased was a three-year civil engineering student. His body was found hanging in his room in the Madan Mohan Malaviya Hall. The student was identified as Mohammad Asif Qamar from Bihar’s Sheohar District," the bench noted.
The top court went on, "The press reporting indicates that just moments before his death, he was on a video call with his friend in Delhi. This is one of those unfortunate suicides by a student for which we have constituted the task-force to work on the various issues relating to students suicide."
The top court previously ordered the formation of a national task force, headed by former top court judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat, to address the mental health concerns of students to prevent suicides in higher educational institutions.
The apex court said it was taking cognisance of the matter with a view to ascertain whether the management or administration of IIT, Kharagpur lodged an FIR with the local police station in accordance with its earlier directions.
It also took into account another case of suicide by a NEET aspirant who hanged herself at her room in Parshavanath area in the city ahead of the National Medical Entrants Examination scheduled on May 11.
"It is reported that the girl was under 18 years of age and hailed from Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh. She had been living with her parents in Kota (Rajasthan) and for the past several years, she was preparing for NEET-UG at a coaching institute," the court added.
The bench observed it was reportedly the fourteenth case of suicide by a coaching student in Kota, Rajasthan in 2025.
"Since January, 2025, a total of 17 cases of suicides by coaching students were reported in Kota last year. We would like to know whether an FIR has been registered in connection with this suicide also or not," the bench said.
The matter then was posted on May 13.
Outlining a disturbing pattern of student suicides in educational institutions, the apex court on March 24 directed Delhi Police to register an FIR and probe the suicidal deaths of two IIT-Delhi students from the SC/ST community.
Saying it was "high time" that it took cognisance of the "serious issue", the court ordered formulation of comprehensive and effective guidelines to address and mitigate the underlying causes contributing to such distress among students.
The bench directed the Centre to deposit Rs 20 lakh with the registry within two weeks as an outlay for the initial operations of the NTF.
Noting a "disturbing pattern" of student suicides were being reported from various educational institutes, the apex court said these tragedies underscored the urgent need for a more robust, comprehensive and responsive mechanism to address various factors which compel students to resort to taking their own lives.
