Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is once again under scrutiny following accusations of caste discrimination. Dr Mahesh Prasad Ahirwar, a Dalit professor in the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, has alleged that he was denied the position of Head of Department (HoD) despite being the senior-most faculty member. On March 31, Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Kumar Jain appointed Dr Sushma Ghildiyal, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, to the position instead, sparking outrage from Ahirwar.
Ahirwar, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, said that the HoD position is usually decided based on seniority, with senior faculty members being given preference. “My seniority has already been decided, yet I was sidelined. This is against the rules,” he stated in a press conference.
While the university has not issued a formal response, a senior official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that a meeting would be held to review seniority in the department. However, Ahirwar dismissed this as a “delaying tactic,” warning that he would resort to legal action if the issue is not addressed promptly. “If the university doesn’t act, I will take legal action,” he said.
This latest controversy comes shortly after another protest by Shivam Sonkar, a Dalit PhD aspirant at BHU, who has been staging a sit-in outside the Vice-Chancellor’s residence for the past two weeks. Sonkar, who ranked second in the entrance exam for the PhD program, alleges he was unfairly denied admission.
BHU has a history of such accusations. Dr Shobhana Narlikar, the first Dalit woman to head the university’s journalism department, previously alleged that her promotion was blocked for years. “Interviews for my promotion were canceled last minute repeatedly,” Narlikar claimed, adding that junior colleagues with fewer qualifications were promoted over her. She was eventually appointed HoD after a prolonged protest.
Dalit rights activists argue that these incidents reflect systemic caste-based bias within India’s prestigious academic institutions. “When Dalit scholars excel, barriers appear. BHU must answer for this,” said Ramesh Chand, a Dalit rights advocate.
