3-year jail term, ₹10 Lakh fine on institutes: How Karnataka’s Rohith Vemula Bill aims to curb caste bias on campus

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka is likely to table the proposed bill named after slain Dalit student Rohit Vemula in the state Legislature during the upcoming winter session to be held from 8 to 19 December.

The legislation, which aims to prevent caste- and identity-based discrimination in higher education institutions in Karnataka, is being tabled following a push from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, according to reports.

The Bill is named after Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula, who died by suicide at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) about a decade ago. The Bill, called The Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025, seeks to address the ‘caste realities’ in higher educational institutions, according to reports.

Key Provisions of the Bill

- The proposed law seeks to address ‘direct, indirect and institutional discrimination and harassment’ on the basis of caste, providing for “civil remedies for survivors in cases of discrimination and penalties on the perpetrator for harassment,” according to a report in the Indian Express.

-The civil remedies include raising a complaint before an Equity Committee, which would be similar to the Internal Complaints Committee for cases of sexual harassment, within the educational institutions. The matter could then be taken to the district courts and high courts, according to the draft Bill.

- A student, faculty member or non-teaching staff of any institution of higher learning can be an aggrieved person, according to the bill that largely deals with a wide spectrum of discrimination in “conduct, behaviour, omission, treatment, policy, custom, criterion or practice”.

What is the punishment in the bill?

-The discrimination would be a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

-The Bill imposes different penalties on individuals and institutions for various offences under its provisions.

-For individuals, the Bill prescribes a written apology to be the least of penalties when it comes to discrimination, stipulating stricter penalties for atrocities.

-The first offence can attract a punishment of one year imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000, and a fine which may extend to ₹ 1 lakh.

-Repeat offences could result in a three-year prison sentence and a ₹1 lakh fine.

-If an institution violates the provision of being “open to all classes, castes, creed, gender or nation”, then it will attract a minimum penalty of ₹1 lakh and a maximum penalty of ₹10 lakh.

Why is the bill named after Rohit Vemula?

The Bill, part of the Congress party's manifesto, was fast-tracked following a letter from Rahul Gandhi. The Karnataka Cabinet has discussed the bill, deferring it once for further consultation. It is expected to be introduced in the state legislature in the upcoming winter session of the Karnataka assembly.

In April 2025, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging the state to introduce legislation in Vemula’s name to combat caste prejudice in educational settings.

Why is the bill controversial?

-The bill has been widely debated.

-Supporters see it as a necessary measure to honour Rohith Vemula's legacy and protect marginalised students.

Critics, mainly from the BJP, call it a political tactic, arguing existing laws are adequate and that the bill could lead to reverse discrimination.

Who was Rohit Vemula?

PhD student, Vemula, ended his life inside a hostel room on the University of Hyderabad campus on 17 January 2016, weeks after he was expelled from the hostel over a dispute between his Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) and the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

In his suicide note, Vemula protested caste discrimination, stating that “My birth was my fatal accident”.

Vemula’s death triggered widespread protests across the country over alleged discrimination and harassment against Dalits and other marginalised communities in educational institutions.