Dalit Scholar Ramadas Moves to Supreme Court Against TISS Suspension

Thiruvananthapuram: Ramadas, a Dalit PhD scholar and first- generation learner from Wayanad, Kerala, is moving to the Supreme Court of India to challenge his suspension from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. The suspension, imposed in April 2024, has sparked widespread outrage, with critics calling it a politically motivated attack on academic freedom and student rights. Ramadas, currently enrolled in the School of Development Studies, has a distinguished academic record, having cleared UGC- NET and secured the National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes. He has also completed his MA and MPhil at TISS. In addition to his academic achievements, he is a student leader and a central executive committee member of the Students' Federation of India (SFI).

In April 2024, the TISS administration imposed a two-year suspension on Ramadas, barring him from entering any of its campuses. The administration cited three primary reasons for this extreme action:

● Participation in a Protest: He attended a Parliament March in Delhi, organised by 16 student organisations to oppose the National Education Policy (NEP).

● Social Media Post: He shared a message encouraging people to watch Ram Ke Naam, a national award- winning documentary by Anand Patwardhan, publicly available on YouTube.

The claim that Ramadas attempted to screen the documentary is demonstrably false. On January 26, 2024, he was recovering from a severe road accident earlier that month, which left him with a broken leg and required major surgery on January 17, 2024. Given his medical condition, he could not have organised or participated in the alleged screening.

As for his social media post, merely sharing a message about a publicly available documentary cannot be construed as anti-national. His participation in the Parliament March was within his constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest, as enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

Legal Battle and Court’s Controversial Ruling

Ramadas challenged his suspension in the Bombay High Court, but the court dismissed his petition, upholding the TISS administration’s decision. Alarmingly, the judgement suggested that students receiving scholarships or fellowships should refrain from criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The court failed to address the inaccuracies in the administration’s claims, raising concerns over judicial impartiality.

Undeterred, Ramadas is now preparing to take his legal battle to the Supreme Court, seeking justice against what he and his supporters describe as an arbitrary and politically motivated crackdown on student activism.

The Bombay High Court ruling sets a dangerous precedent by implying that students benefiting from government-sponsored scholarships should avoid criticising the ruling party. This stance disproportionately affects students from marginalised backgrounds—Dalits, Adivasis, women, working-class individuals, and minorities—many of whom rely on financial aid for their education. It effectively curtails their freedom of speech, creating an environment of fear and suppression within academic institutions.
This development has sparked widespread concern among student activists, academics, and civil rights organisations, who view it as an assault on democratic freedoms. If left unchallenged, this case could pave the way for broader restrictions on dissent, further eroding India’s democratic fabric.

The suspension of Ramadas is not just about one individual; it is a stark reminder of the growing institutional suppression of critical voices in academia. It is crucial to resist such authoritarian actions and uphold the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. The fight is not merely for one scholar’s reinstatement but to preserve academic freedom, student rights, and the larger democratic values at stake.