On 4th September, X (Twitter) user Anuradha Tiwari sparked a discussion on social media about caste-based policies in educational institutions, with a particular focus on access to library books. In her post, she shared a notice from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Hamirpur, dated 1st August 2024, which outlined a schedule for accessing the book bank in the library.
According to the notice, students were prioritised by caste and income categories. For example, one day was reserved solely for SC/ST students, while another was split into two parts: the first half for General Category students with a family income of less than Rs 1 lakh, and the second half for those with a family income exceeding Rs 5 lakh. The third day was open to all students.
Tiwari in her post said, “There’s #Reservation even in NITs’ college libraries. They claim that Brahmins kept knowledge to themselves for centuries. So now, they’ll deny Brahmins and General Category even access to books? This isn’t social justice; it’s pure revenge. Brahmins & GCs are the new Dalits.” The post went viral on social media, prompting many users to share their personal experiences with similar rules in their colleges or universities.
The intention behind such rules might be to support marginalised groups, but it has raised questions about whether it inadvertently sidelines other students, especially those from general categories, by limiting their access to essential academic resources. There has been discussion on social media about whether this is confined to affirmative action or if it has crossed into the territory of exclusion for some groups. In an attempt to address historical disparities, is it right to restrict students’ access to library materials, potentially compromising their futures?
A surge of personal stories: shared experiences of exclusion
Following Tiwari’s post on social media, a flood of personal stories surfaced, where several users recounted feelings of marginalisation within their own academic environments. These students or ex-students were not from “marginalised” communities but faced disparities in policies due to their so-called upper caste status. Access to critical study material, which is often only available in institutes’ libraries and not even to middle or upper-middle-class families, is crucial. However, with such policies in place, can one be certain that access to these resources will be free of disparities and restrictions?
X user WillmooreK_OK pointed out that such policies are not new. He recalled that when he was at IIT Kharagpur over 20 years ago, SC/ST students were allowed more books, with reserved sections for them, and they could borrow books from libraries for longer periods.
X user OnlyNakedTruth wrote a long post about it. He said that when he was at NIT Trichy, there was a Book Bank where SC/ST students had the right to pick books for the first three days. Only after that, the book bank would open to General Category students on the basis of merit. He mentioned there were two copies of Oppenheimer’s Signals and Systems in the library, and as the class topper, he wanted one of them.
However, both copies were taken by his classmates from the SC/ST quota. He said, “But both copies were picked up by my classmates from SC/ST quota who refused to even use them and just let the books keep collecting dust in their rooms for the entire semester. That day I felt terribly cheated. Now I don’t feel the same rage. But the reservations are being cornered among SC/ST by those who don’t need any reservation while the actual needy ones are being shut away.”
For context, the current price of the said book is around USD 84 or Rs 4,899 (for hardcover) and Rs 1,799 (for paperback). It is not feasible for everyone to buy the book, making institute libraries the only source of such expensive books for students. In many cases, several books are not even available in India, and the institutes import them for their libraries. Such policies make it nearly impossible for deserving students, irrespective of their caste, to access these books.
Another X user, a_srinidhi, wrote, “It existed in my college as well. We could borrow like 3 books and they could borrow 5-6 books. There was SC-ST library, others can’t access those books. Even in my school, fees were lesser for them when compared to General students.”
X user Jayaraj Alavelli wrote, “IITM alumnus here. It happens in IITs too. Sometimes, we didn’t get some books as all the copies of the books have been issued already!! Friends used to share books for the entire semester!!”
The way forward: balancing support with equity
There is a need to find a balance between affirmative support and equitable access for all. As many users mentioned, this policy has existed for decades, seemingly introduced to redress “historical disadvantages.” But such policies should have been removed or at least modified over time, considering changing perceptions. There is a growing call for more inclusive measures that do not segregate students into separate access categories but instead address the core issue of resource availability.
To move forward, institutions and policymakers should consider reforms that uphold the principles of inclusivity and fairness. It is their responsibility to ensure that library collections are sufficiently stocked, borrowing hours are extended, and access rules are equitable so that all students can access the books. Universities could even seek grants and donations from business houses to stockpile books, ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. In this digital age, institutions should also procure digital copies of the books which could be made available to all the students without any restriction.
Everyone deserves the best possible education. It is understandable that reservation is still required in India for various reasons, including political ones. However, policymakers and universities need to develop a better system where there is no room for discrimination of any kind among students.
