This article reveals systemic biases and corrupt practices that undermine the rights of SC/ST candidates, and calls for reform and accountability in higher education hiring processes
Depressed classes and minorities in India are pawns of electoral politics. They continue to feel vulnerable at both levels of the power apparatus. The tragic case of Rohith Vemula (SC), an unprivileged PhD student at the University of Hyderabad (2016), and Chander Shekhar (SC), an associate professor of psychology at Jammu University (2022), are just two examples that highlight this issue vividly. Data on seat denial to SC/ST candidates in IITs and other institutions, or their dropout rates from these institutions, further illustrates the institutional vulnerabilities and insecurities faced by these marginalized groups.
However, there exists another layer of exclusivity at Kashmir University—namely, the failure to advertise or allocate reserved seats for depressed classes in accordance with the ratios prescribed by relevant national commissions, such as the UGC. Additionally, shrinking the space for candidates from Jammu and Kashmir in the reserved quota by allowing candidates from other states to apply in their place represents clear discrimination and “otherisation” against SC/ST candidates in state-level recruitments. The recent Haryana Assistant Professor recruitment, UP PCS recruitment, and others serve as reference points for such practices.
The old and beautiful campus of Kashmir University harbours casteist and corrupt practices by either not advertising reserved seats or allocating fewer seats than proportionate for reserved categories. Historically, it has failed to grant the rightful share of reserved seats to SC/ST candidates from its own state. Prior to 2019, Kashmir University never implemented reservations for SC/ST candidates in Assistant Professor recruitment.
Though there have been changes since 2019, these reforms are superficial—akin to old wine in a new bottle. In recent recruitment processes across different university departments, while reserved seats were technically allocated, they often came at the expense of state-level candidates from depressed classes. This is a clear violation of both legal and moral obligations, constituting discrimination against SC/ST candidates domiciled in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Article 16, Parts 3 & 4 of the Indian Constitution, and Article 309, state-level recruitments are legally and morally bound to reserve positions exclusively for candidates from their own state’s depressed classes. Reserved category positions in state-level recruitments, such as PSCs and other state university posts, should not be open to candidates from outside that state. This is a standard practice across states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and others.
Kashmir University, however, has exploited loopholes cleverly. Its recruitment notifications neither explicitly stated that candidates from outside Jammu and Kashmir were eligible for reserved category positions, nor did they disclose the names and addresses of candidates called for interviews. It was only on the day of interviews that domiciled reserved category candidates discovered that individuals from states/UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Ladakh had been shortlisted. This is not just a case of “jugaad” recruitment; it’s an open yet covert violation of domicile rules, appointment regulations, and fundamental rights under Article 16 of the Indian Constitution.
Who isn’t aware of the so-called recruitment procedures in Indian higher education, particularly in central and state universities, where meritorious candidates are systematically sidelined in favour of those with strong “jugaad” connections to recruiting agencies and governing regimes? Meritorious candidates without such connections are often left teaching as contractual or guest faculty, earning less than minimum wages in Jammu and Kashmir, with no financial security during periods of disengagement. Their pleas have gone unheard for over a decade, and this neglect seems set to continue indefinitely.
In India, exam scams and delays in their investigation and resolution have become commonplace. Similarly, in this case, candidates will likely have to seek justice through the courts, which will derail the selection process, damage institutional credibility, and severely impact the candidates’ careers due to prolonged legal battles.
The Supreme Court of India (SC) has ruled on several recruitment scams in higher education. For instance, in the West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam (2016), the SC ordered fresh examinations, investigations, and the recovery of fraudulently obtained salaries after identifying irregularities with OMR sheets. The court found numerous flaws in the candidate selection process. The bench noted that tainted candidates fell into different categories: ineligible individuals, those whose ranks or marks were manipulated to secure their selection, OMR manipulation (including blank sheets), and candidates not on the merit list who were still appointed. Highlighting these irregularities, Chief Justice Khanna wryly remarked, “Dal mein kuch kala hai ya sab kuch kala hai?”
The UGC-framed guidelines for recruiting Assistant Professors in colleges and universities are often disregarded by institutions like Kashmir University. The recruitment process has, for many, become a breeding ground for scams and a major source of corruption within university governing bodies. The UGC’s recruitment guidelines are vague, and even the existing rules are frequently ignored during the hiring process.
In an era of dwindling job opportunities in higher education, coupled with an open “jugaad” system in central and state university recruitments, Kashmir University’s discriminatory and corrupt policies against SC/ST and minority candidates are both unbearable and unlawful. These practices challenge the integrity, reliability, and transparency of higher education, inflicting significant psychological distress on candidates and undermining the selection process itself.
A long journey toward equality lies ahead. The glass ceiling of discrimination must be shattered.
The author is a research scholar of Modern Indian History at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
Ghulam Sarver Shaheen
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