Karnataka Assembly to Table Rohith Vemula Bill This Monsoon Session

After a push from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka is set to introduce a Bill named after Rohith Vemula in the Monsoon Session to tackle discrimination in higher education, reported The indian Express.

The Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025, aims to “prevent exclusion or injustice and to safeguard the right to education and dignity for the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minorities and to provide equal access and right to education in all public or Private or Deemed Universities established in the State of Karnataka”.

The draft demonstrates that offences under the Bill will be non-bailable and cognisable. Anyone who discriminates or aids and abets such behavior will be punished.

The first offence carries one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 with courts empowered to order compensation up to Rs 1 lakh payable by the accused to the victim. A repeat offence will invite a three-year jail term apart from a Rs 1 lakh fine.

If an institution fails to remain “open to all classes, castes, creed, gender or nation”, it will face a similar penalty. Additionally, the state government “shall not provide any financial aid or grant to such institution” violating the Bill’s provisions.

In April, Gandhi wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging legislation in Vemula’s name to combat caste-based prejudice. Siddaramaiah later confirmed his government’s commitment to eliminating discrimination in education.

Vemula, a PhD scholar, died by suicide at the University of Hyderabad in January 2016 protesting against caste discrimination.

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