Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed what he called “solid evidence of the deprivation of Dalits, Bahujans and institutionalised Manuwad,” after government data revealed a significant backlog in filling reserved category posts in higher education, and demanded that all vacant positions be filled immediately.
The data, revealed in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar in response to a question raised by Professor Manoj Kumar Jha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal on vacancies over the past five years, highlighted a glaring gap for OBC, Dalit, and Tribal communities, as appointments from the general category far outweigh those from reserved categories, with the highest number of seats filled under the general category.
For instance, only 84 professors from the OBC category have been appointed against a sanctioned strength of 423, reflecting a staggering 80% vacancy rate.
Only 111 professors from the Dalit community have been appointed in the last five years, against a required 308, resulting in a 64% vacancy rate.
Similarly, only 24 professors from the Tribal community were appointed out of the mandated 144, marking a stark vacancy rate of 83%.
As of June 30, 2025, central universities across India had a total of 18,951 sanctioned teaching posts — professors, associate professors, and assistant professors. Of these, 14,062 were filled, leaving 25% of posts vacant. While the general category saw a relatively lower vacancy rate of 15%, the shortfall was significantly higher for reserved categories.
Among OBCs, only 2,197 appointments were made against 3,688 sanctioned posts, reflecting a 40% vacancy rate.
For the Dalit community, just 1,599 out of 2,310 posts were filled, resulting in nearly 30% of seats lying vacant.
The gap was even more striking for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community — only 727 of 1,155 posts were filled, leaving 37% of positions unoccupied.
Notably, the highest number of seats were filled under the general category.
In central universities, professor positions for Scheduled Tribes remain largely unfilled, with 83% of posts vacant, while 80% of OBC and 64% of SC professor posts also remain vacant.
A similar pattern is seen in associate professor positions, with 65% vacancies for STs, 69% for OBCs, and 51% for SCs.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that “this is not mere negligence but a well-planned conspiracy, to keep Bahujans out of education, research, and policymaking.”
The Opposition leader said the exclusion of Bahujans from academia was not accidental but deliberate.
“Due to the lack of adequate participation of Bahujans in universities,” he highlighted, adding, “the issues of marginalized communities are deliberately excluded from research and discourse.”
“In the name of NFS (Not Found Suitable), thousands of qualified SC, ST, OBC candidates are being declared unfit under a Manuwadi mindset, and the government is unwilling to take any accountability,” he said.
Calling the situation “completely unacceptable,” Gandhi demanded that “all vacant positions must be filled immediately, Bahujans should get their rights, not Manuwadi (follower of Manu) exclusion.”
In response to Professor Manoj Kumar Jha’s question regarding the number of vacancies and the proportion of candidates declared “Not Found Suitable” (NFS) in reserved categories over the last five years, the Ministry avoided giving specific figures. Instead, it offered a generic explanation that sidestepped the core concern of systemic bias.
The Minister of State for Education admitted that, “The details of the number of candidates ‘Not Found Suitable’ by selection committees for teaching posts in Central Universities are not maintained centrally.”
While the government claimed that UGC regulations ensure “a transparent and objective selection procedure,” it offered no data to back that claim or to rebut the allegations of caste-based discrimination in appointments.
Critics argue this reflects a broader Manuwadi framework, where upper-caste dominance in academia limits opportunities for OBC, Dalit, and Tribal communities, reinforcing caste-based hierarchies.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala called this a “systemic erasure, not meritocracy.”
Tribal Army, a vocal advocate for Indigenous rights in India, also sharply criticized the government’s track record on social justice and representation.
“While the BJP may be showcasing the presence of a Prime Minister from the OBC community and a President from the tribal community,” it stated, “the stark reality is that 80% of professor posts for the OBC category and 83% for the ST category in central universities remain vacant.”
“These figures,” they said, “are not just a sign of neglect but testify to deliberate discrimination. Governments pat themselves on the back by providing representation in symbolic positions, but when it comes to real empowerment, such as appointments to professor, associate professor, or assistant professor positions, these communities are sidelined with the excuse of being ‘not found suitable.’”
Calling the practice “a blatant disregard for the principles of social justice,” Tribal Army warned, “If this situation persists, this game of depriving millions of marginalized people of education and opportunities under the guise of symbolic leadership will continue unabated.”
RJD Spokesperson Priyanka Bharti said, “The ruling class still does not appear sensitive or committed to the welfare of marginalized social groups!”
