The Allahabad High Court has ordered an independent judicial inquiry into allegations of caste-based discrimination and harassment leveled against a senior faculty member at Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University, Prayagraj.
In an order issued on September 16, Justice Vinod Diwakar stripped the university’s law department head and boys’ hostel warden of all administrative duties while the investigation is underway. The court also prohibited the official, cited as respondent number six, from participating in any academic evaluation, disciplinary proceedings, or hostel oversight involving the complainants.
The court explicitly noted that its directives do not constitute a final finding on the merit of the claims. The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on September 24, 2026.
Judicial Panel Appointed
To lead the inquiry, the high court appointed Archana Singh-I, Judge of the Small Cause Court at the Prayagraj District Court, alongside Arun Kumar Yadav, Special Chief Judicial Magistrate of Prayagraj. The two-member judicial committee has been tasked with submitting a formal report examining whether students from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe backgrounds experienced caste-related humiliation or bias at the hands of the department head.
Additionally, the judicial panel will review whether the university administration adhered to established statutory guidelines while processing previous grievances related to the allegations.
Justice Diwakar also instructed the university vice-chancellor to set up a separate, independent panel to re-examine the examination answer sheets of one of the petitioners. The reassessment will cover all fifth-semester courses taught and evaluated by the department head, along with any additional subjects requested by the student.
Regulatory Oversight and Compliance
The court directed the vice-chancellor to clarify whether the university has instituted an Equal Opportunity Cell as well as a dedicated grievance redressal committee for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students in compliance with University Grants Commission regulations.
The administration must provide details regarding the structure and membership of these bodies, as well as an account of steps taken regarding the student’s initial grievance.
Origins of the Petition
The proceedings stem from a joint petition filed by two students: Shubhendu Anand, a doctoral research scholar, and a fifth-semester BA LLB (Hons) student residing in the campus boys’ hostel. The petitioners contended that the department head leveraged academic and administrative standing to humiliate and retaliate against marginalized students.
According to records cited in court, the undergraduate petitioner formally wrote to the vice-chancellor on August 20, 2026, stating that the university had failed to address his grievances despite several reminders and follow-up submissions.
The student reported that he had earned the top score in Constitutional Law-I, leading into Constitutional Law-II, which was designated as a gold medal subject. He alleged that at the start of the fourth semester, the department head challenged him to replicate his top marks in the instructor’s own course.
The petitioner asserted that his subsequent answer papers were graded with discriminatory severity on account of his caste, adding that the faculty member had openly made disparaging remarks regarding caste identity and reservation policies.
