National Commission for Scheduled Castes issues notice to HRD on ban

New Delhi: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Monday issued notices to Union HRD secretary and IIT-Madras director asking them to appear before it after the IIT defended its action against Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, comprising mostly Dalits.

“We have issued notices to the Union HRD secretary and IIT-M director calling them for a discussion on the case on June 8. The notices were issued today,” NCSC sources said.

The commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the derecognition of the student body last week by IIT-M for allegedly violating code of conduct, following a complaint that it was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The IIT-M, in reply to an earlier notice by the Commission, asserted that there has been no curtailment of “freedom of speech” or imposition of ban on any student organisation.

It claimed the registration of student organisation APSC has been “withheld temporarily” as it had issued pamphlets and put up posters publicly with the name of IIT Madras without the requisite approval.

IIT-M, in its response to NCSC, claimed that no student organisation, particularly of SC students, has been banned, but registration granted to APSC for utilising the institute’s infrastructure has been withheld temporarily, as it has allegedly breached prescribed guidelines.

“It has been noted that APSC has not observed the guidelines laid down for it. The conducted meeting without permission,” the institute had said in its reply.