Explained: The new Rohith Vemula Bill 2025 proposed by Karnataka govt

Karnataka is set to introduced the Rohith Vemula Bill 2025 to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, creating new complaint system, penalties and protection for SC/ST students

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Nearly a decade after Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula died by suicide at the University of Hyderabad, the Congress government in Karnataka is planning to bring a law in his name. The bill aims to stop caste-based discrimination and harassment across public and private colleges and universities in the state.

 

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is expected to place the draft in the Winter Session of the state Legislature between December 8 and 19. The move also follows a push from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

 

What is Karnataka’s Rohith Vemula Bill?

 

The proposed law, The Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill, 2025, focuses on addressing what it calls the “caste realities” in higher education institutions (HEIs). The Bill will curb “discrimination, harassment and atrocity on the basis of caste”, The Indian Express reported.

 

The Bill covers “direct, indirect and institutional discrimination and harassment”, and proposes civil remedies for survivors and penalties for perpetrators. 

 

How the complaint system will work

 

According to the draft, anyone facing discrimination, including students, teachers or non-teaching staff, can file a complaint with a new Equity Committee, similar to Internal Complaints Committees for sexual harassment cases. If needed, cases can be taken further to district or high courts.

 

The Bill covers discrimination in all forms of “conduct, behaviour, omission, treatment, policy, custom, criterion or practice”.

 

What counts as indirect and institutional discrimination

 

“Indirect discrimination” includes actions that look neutral but end up hurting Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. “Institutional discrimination” refers to caste bias rooted in structures and processes of universities, including councils or committees, that create an adverse impact on SC/ST individuals.

 

The Bill distinguishes between discrimination and atrocity, defining atrocity as anything listed under Section (3) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, The Indian Express reported.

 

Where the law will apply

 

Higher education institutions include all spaces linked to a campus, classrooms, hostels, health centres, sports grounds, staff housing, public areas, canteens, digital platforms and transport facilities, where students and staff interact.

 

What penalties does the Bill propose?

 

The draft legislation proposes a range of penalties:

 

For individuals

• A written apology for discrimination

• Stronger punishment for atrocities, one-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 for the first offence. Courts can also award compensation up to ₹1 lakh

• Repeat offences carry a three-year jail term and ₹1 lakh fine

 

For institutions

If a college violates the requirement of being “open to all classes, castes, creed, gender or nation”, it may face fines between ₹1 lakh and ₹10 lakh. The state can also stop all financial aid or grants to such institutions.

 

Rights provided to SC/ST individuals

 

The draft legislation states that SC/ST persons have the right to challenge caste-based prejudice, including by:

• Taking lawful steps against caste bias

• Avoiding events that reinforce caste prejudice

• Resisting boycotts or unfair appraisals

• Pushing for curriculum changes that remove caste bias

• Exercising control over revealing their SC/ST identity

 

Why is the Bill named after Rohith Vemula?

 

The Rohith Vemula Bill was part of the Congress manifesto for the 2023 Karnataka elections. Earlier this year, Rahul Gandhi sent letters to the chief ministers of Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, urging them to introduce a law named after Vemula to counter caste prejudice on campuses.

 

Rohith Vemula died on January 17, 2016, alleging caste-based discrimination in his suicide note. He was expelled from his hostel following a dispute between the Ambedkar Students Association and the ABVP. His suicide note said, “My birth was my fatal accident".

 

His death sparked nationwide protests over caste discrimination in educational institutions.