EFLU Student Alleges Caste Discrimination in PhD Admissions

Hyderabad: A student of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) has alleged caste discrimination by the university officials in giving admissions into PhD.

M Sriramulu, a tribal student from the German studies department said that the authorities have withheld his degree certificate due to which he is unable to pursue PhD course at the university.

"Certificate for my five-year integrated course in German has not been given and despite clearing my UGC NET in German language and a JRF I am unable to pursue PhD," said Sriramulu.

The student has submitted representation to NHRC, National Commission for Scheduled Tribe, the Union HRD and tribal affairs ministries seeking their intervention.

Sriramulu, in his representation said that he was taken ill in 2013 and was hospitalized and couldn’t take the exams thus failing him in eight subjects, adding that later he wrote the supplementary exams and cleared with 68 percent.

However, the university official have a different version saying that the student did not fulfill the eligibility criteria for admission as he failed in the in his integrated course due to which he cannot be given an admission into PhD.

"The allegations raised by the student are false. The student failed in his integrated course due to which he cannot be given an admission into PhD," said John Mathew, assistant professor, German Studies department, EFLU.

Meanwhile, EFLU proctor Prakash Kona said, "The truth is that the student failed to fulfill the minimum requirement to get a degree. The university has been very supportive in providing him with remedial classes. He was unable to clear subjects to get the required credits.”