Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Dalit Scholar Alleges Caste Bias at Kerala University
Anagha Shashi is a Dalit student studying for a PhD in Kerala.
She says university staff treated her unfairly because of her caste and gender.
She also says she was asked to clean toilets, wash laboratory equipment and do office work.
Shashi says she was sometimes made to stand in a corridor and was discouraged from continuing her research.
She says delays by the university stopped her from beginning her research properly.
She also alleges that people made insulting comments about her fellowship and threatened to cancel it.
Shashi and her mother have been protesting outside the university.
Her mother says the situation caused Shashi serious emotional distress.
The allegations have been reported, but the article does not provide a response from the university.
Anagha Shashi, a Dalit PhD scholar, has protested outside Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University with her mother since the night of 14 August.
Shashi alleges that faculty members made her perform cleaning, laboratory, clerical and record-organising work.
She says her research progress was delayed because her annual report was not submitted and her Doctoral Committee was not convened.
Shashi alleges casteist remarks, pressure to discontinue her PhD and threats concerning her fellowship.
Her mother said the alleged harassment severely affected Shashi’s mental health and that Shashi attempted suicide.
- Who
- Anagha Shashi, a Dalit PhD scholar, and her mother are protesting; Shashi has made allegations against university faculty and administrators.
- What
- Shashi alleges caste and gender discrimination, harassment, forced cleaning and clerical work, academic delays, and threats related to her fellowship.
- When
- She joined the university in March 2024 and began protesting on the night of 14 August; the report says she raised concerns from August 2025 and formally complained about a year later.
- Where
- Outside Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University in Kerala, and within its Department of Environmental Science.
- Why
- She is demanding action over alleged discrimination and harassment that she says have obstructed her PhD research and threatened her fellowship.
- Scholar
- Anagha Shashi, a Dalit PhD scholar in Environmental Science
- University
- Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University
- Enrollment
- Shashi joined the university in March 2024
- Academic delay
- She says she completed coursework more than a year ago but has not started her research
- Alleged work
- Cleaning toilets, washing and arranging laboratory equipment, dusting, organising records and clerical work
- Fellowship
- A fellowship from the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment is allegedly at risk
- Protest
- Shashi and her mother have protested outside the university since the night of 14 August