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IIT Bombay has advised students not to ask peers about their caste, admission category or exam ranks, warning that such questions could promote bias and discrimination.
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The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) has updated its anti-discrimination guidelines, advising students not to ask their peers about their caste, admission category or entrance examination ranks. The institute said such questions, even when asked casually or out of curiosity, could create bias and make other students uncomfortable, according to a Hindustan Times report.
The revised guidelines were circulated among students in an email from the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs late on Tuesday. The institute asked students, faculty members and staff to avoid conversations that could reveal another student’s caste or related background.
IIT-B said students should instead focus on building friendships based on shared interests and experiences.
JEE Ranks, GATE Scores Also Covered
The guidelines state that asking a student about their birth or admission category is inappropriate as it may result in conscious or unconscious bias. Students have also been advised against asking their peers about JEE (Advanced) ranks, GATE scores or other details that could indicate their caste or social background.
The institute said that while such questions may appear harmless to the person asking them, they can have an adverse impact on the student being questioned.
The guidelines also warn that violations could result in severe disciplinary action.
IIT-B stresses Need For Inclusive Campus
The institute said its objective is to create an inclusive campus for students irrespective of caste, religion or socio-economic background. It also reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Constitution’s reservation policy “in letter and spirit” and providing equal opportunities to all students.
However, the move has drawn criticism from a section of protesting students at the institute.
Students who have been demonstrating at IIT-B’s main gate for 26 days said a similar email was issued in 2023, following the death of an 18-year-old Dalit student. That incident had triggered wider discussions over caste discrimination and student welfare at engineering institutes.
The protesters said the institute should move beyond what they described as “templated” emails and engage directly with students at Justice Corner, where the protest has been taking place.
The latest guidelines come after the death of a second-year student on the IIT-B campus on September 18. The incident has renewed questions about student well-being, campus support systems and the mechanisms available for addressing grievances.
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Ask News18IIT Bombay updated its anti-discrimination guidelines advising students, faculty, and staff to avoid asking peers about their caste, admission category, JEE Advanced ranks, or GATE scores. The institute noted that such inquiries, even if driven by curiosity, can create conscious or unconscious bias and negatively impact students.
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Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can …Read More
October 15, 2026, 20:42 IST
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