Mavalli Shankar, State Convener, Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, addressing a press conference at Bengaluru Press Club on Tuesday. | Photo credit: J. ALLEN EGENUSE
Members of the civil society group Campaign for Rohith Act have urged the state government to pass the Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Protection of SC/ST from Caste Discrimination in Higher Institutions) Act, 2025, which aims to ensure the right to education and dignity of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Schools (SC), Scheduled students in universities.
They also urged the government to release the Rohith Vemula Bill for public consultation and announce a clear timetable for its introduction and passage in the Legislative Assembly.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Mavalli Shankar, state commissioner of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, said,
“On 17 January 2026, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, publicly stated that the Karnataka government is in the process of implementing the Rohith Vemula Bill. However, no proposal has been released for public consultation, nor has a clear legislative timetable been announced. This delay has caused growing concern among SC/ST students across the state.”
“The campaign reiterates that existing regulatory measures, including the UGC Equality Regulations 2026, are inadequate to address structural caste-based discrimination in higher education. A dedicated Rohith Vemula Act remains urgently needed. The enactment of the Rohith Vemula Act would mark a historic step to ensure dignity, equality and justice in Karnataka’s universities and colleges.”
Published – 17 Feb 2026 21:36 IST