It is the Constitutional provision for reservations that has bettered the condition of the Bahujans in political, educational and economic realms. That has given the Bahujans an opportunity to play an important role in the all-round development of the country. But Bahujans are yet to get adequate representation in the administration of public institutions. Take the public universities in Haryana, for example, none of which has a Dalit vice-chancellor or registrar.
This is the situation when the Schedule Castes (SC) form about 20 per cent of the state’s population and 20 per cent government jobs and seats in educational institutions are reserved for them. According to the website of the Haryana Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare Department, 37 castes have been designated as SCs. They include 1) Ad Dharmi (Aheria, Aheri, Hari, Heri, Thori, Turi) 2) Balmiki 3) Bangali 4) Barar, Burar, Berar 5) Batwal, Barwala 6) Bauria, Bawaria 7) Bazigar 8) Bhanjra 9) Chamar, Jatia Chamar, Rehgar, Raigar, Ramdasi, Ravidasi, Balahi, Batoi, Bhambi, Chamar-Rohidas, Jatav, Jatava, Ramdasia 10) Chanal 11) Dagi 12) Darain 13) Deha, Dhaya, Dhea 14) Dhanak 15) Dhogri, Dhangri, Siggi 16) Dumna, Mahasha, Doom 17) Gagra 18) Gandhila, Gandil, Gondola 19) Kabirpanthi, Julaha 20) Khatik 21) Kori, Koli 22) Marija, Marecha 23) Mazhabi, Mazhabi Sikh 24) Megh, Meghwal 25) Nat, Badi 26) Od 27) Pasi 28) Perna 29) Pherera, Rai Sikh 30) Sanhai 31) Sanhal 32) Sansi, Bhedkut, Manesh 33) Sansoi 34) Sapela, Sapera 35) Sarera 36) Sikligar, Bariya 37) Sirkiband
There are 22 universities in Haryana. They include Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (1956); Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (1976); Guru Jambheshwar Science and Technology University, Hisar (1995); Chaudhary Devilal University, Sirsa (2003); Indira Gandhi University, Rewari (2013); Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University, Hisar (1970); and Haryana Central University, Mahendragarh (2009).
Universities are autonomous institutions financially aided by the central or state governments. The vice-chancellors and the registrars are key functionaries of universities. They decide the institutions’ policy and also oversee their day-to-day operations. Currently, there is no SC vice-chancellor or registrar in the state. In Kurukshetra University alone, there are more than a dozen SC professors who are qualified to be appointed as VCs and registrars. There is no dearth of eligible and competent teachers in other universities, too. Interestingly, Satyadev Narayan Arya, the governor of Haryana, who is also the ex-officio chancellor of all state-run universities, happens to be a Dalit.
Caste/category of vice-chancellors of Haryana universities
| University | VC | Caste / Category |
|---|---|---|
| Kurukshetra University, Kurushetra | Prof S.N. Sachdeva | Punjabi (General) |
| Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonepat | Dr Vinay Kapoor | Punjabi (General) |
| Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Palwal | Raj Nehru | Punjabi Brahmin (General) |
| Guru Jambheshwar Science and Technology University, Hisar | Tarkeshwar Kumar | Punjabi (General) |
| Indira Gandhi University, Mirpur, Rewari | Prof S.K. Gharkhad | Punjabi (General) |
| Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak | Dr O.P. Kalra | Punjabi (General) |
| Gurugram University, Gurugram | Dr Markandey Ahuja | Punjabi (General) |
| Kalpana Chawla Medical College, Karnal [Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayaya University of Health Sciences] | Dr J. C. Dureja (director) | Punjabi (General) |
| Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak | Prof Rajbeer Singh | Jat (General) |
| SUPVA, Rohtak | Prof Rajbeer Singh (Additional charge) | Jat (General) |
| Chaudhary Ranbir Singh University, Jind | Prof Somnath Sachdeva | Punjabi (General) |
| Chaudhary Devilal University, Sirsa | Prof Ajmer Singh Malik | Punjabi (General) |
| Haryana Central University, Mahendragarh | Prof R.C. Kuhad | Jat (General) |
| YMCA, Faridabad | Prof Dinesh Agarwal | Bania (General) |
| Chaudhary Bansilal University, Bhiwani | Dr R.K. Mittal | Bania (General) |
| Maharshi Valmiki Sanskrit University, Kaithal | Dr Shreyansh Dwivedi | Brahmin (General) |
| DCRUST, Murthal | Dr Rajendra Annayat | South Indian Brahmin (General) |
| Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra | Dr Baldev Dheeman | Dheeman (General) |
| Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar | Dr Samar Singh | Rod (General) |
| Rana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal | Dr Samar Singh (Additional charge) | Rod (General) |
| BPS Mahila University, Khanpur, Sonepat | Prof Sushma Yadav | Yadav (OBC) |
| LUVAS, Hisar | Dr Gurudayal Singh | Jangda (OBC) |
(The information on the caste of the VCs has been obtained from local sources)
OBCs have been given 27 per cent reservation in the state. Currently, four vice-chancellors and four registrars are from OBC castes. In Haryana, OBCs are divided into two subcategories. There are 72 castes and communities in subcategory A and six in subcategory B. OBCs in the subcategory B are relatively advanced in educational, economic and political terms, and they are dominant in the universities, too.
(Translation: Amrish Herdenia; copy-editing: Anil)
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