An independent inquiry has been ordered by the Allahabad High Court against the head of the Department of Law and warden of the boys’ hostel at Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University, Prayagraj. The court ordered the inquiry over allegations of caste-based humiliation and discrimination raised by two students.
Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Vinod Diwakar also directed an independent re-evaluation of the answer sheets of one of the students and barred the concerned HOD-warden from having any role in his evaluation, disciplinary matters or hostel-related matters concerning the petitioners.
However, the court made it clear that it was not recording any finding on the truth of the allegations.
It asked Archana Singh-I, Judge, Small Cause Court, District Court, Prayagraj, and Arun Kumar Yadav, Special Chief Judicial Magistrate, Prayagraj, to conduct an inquiry and submit report in the matter.
Inquiry To Assess Whether SC-ST Students Met Caste-Based Humiliation
The inquiry will ascertain whether students belonging to the SC-ST communities were subjected to caste-based humiliation or discrimination by respondent no. 6 (HOD and warden).
It will also examine whether complaints regarding such allegations were dealt with by the university in accordance with applicable regulations.
HC Directs V-C To Re-evaluate Student’s Answer Sheets
The high court separately directed the vice-chancellor to constitute an independent committee to re-evaluate the student’s answer sheets for subjects taught and evaluated by respondent no. 6 in the fifth semester as well as any other subjects indicated by the student.
The petition was filed by Shubhendu Anand and one other person. While petitioner no. 1 was a PhD research scholar and the other student was a fifth-semester BA LLB (Hons) student of the NLU with the latter residing in the boys’ hostel.
What’s The Allegation Against HoD
Their grievance was that HOD used academic and administrative authority as an “instrument of caste-based humiliation and retaliation”.
The fifth-semester student had submitted a complaint to the VC on August 20, 2026 alleging that the university had failed to act on his grievance despite repeated reminders and further complaints.
In the complaint, the student stated that Constitutional Law-II was the Gold Medal subject and that he had secured the highest marks in Constitutional Law-I.
He alleged that respondent no. 6 had remarked at the beginning of the fourth semester: “Jo constitutional law me highest lekar aya hai, ab mere me lekar aaye”. (The one who got the highest marks in Constitutional Law, let him get the highest marks in my subject now.)
According to the student, the stricter evaluation of his answer sheets was due to his caste and claimed that the concerned faculty member had publicly made insulting remarks concerning caste and reservation.
The court in its order dated September 16 further directed, “The Respondent no.6 shall be relieved henceforth from all administrative responsibilities till the completion of the enquiries”.
The court further directed the VC to apprise it whether the university has constituted an Equal Opportunity Cell and a committee for the redressal of grievances of SC/ST students under the applicable UGC Regulations along with details of their composition and the action taken on the student’s complaint.
The court has fixed September 24, 2026 as the next date of hearing in the case.
With inputs from PTI
