Ramesh Srivats, an alumnus of IIT Madras from the 1980s, has offered a unique perspective on the social dynamics within the prestigious institution, describing a self-imposed “caste system” that shifted annually based on academic and career milestones, rather than birth. His reflections come amidst ongoing national discussions surrounding alleged caste-based discrimination at other IIT campuses.
A Shifting Hierarchy at IIT Madras
Srivats, an advertising veteran and entrepreneur, recounted in a recent video message how the perceived social hierarchy at IIT Madras during his student days was fluid and performance-driven. He explained that a student's 'caste' or status was initially determined by their JEE entrance exam rank. Those with higher ranks held the highest standing.
From Rank to Branch and GPA
Within six months, however, the JEE rank became less significant. The academic branch a student pursued emerged as the new marker of status, with Computer Science typically at the apex, followed by Electronics, Electrical, and Mechanical engineering. Srivats humorously recalled a physics professor's differing reaction to him, a Computer Science student, failing the course compared to a Metallurgy student with the same predicament, highlighting the branch-based pecking order.
By the second and third years, even the branch hierarchy faded. Academic performance, specifically Grade Point Average (GPA), took precedence. Srivats described a matrix-like system where students were categorized: 'genius' (high GPA, little study), 'cash cow' (high GPA, hard study), 'dog' (low GPA, hard study), and 'question mark' (low GPA, no study), a category he assigned himself to.
Career Prospects: The Final 'Caste'
As students approached their final year, GPA also became less relevant. The ultimate determinant of status, Srivats noted, was their post-IIT trajectory – whether they pursued further studies at top institutions or secured high-profile jobs. This, he concluded, was their version of a 'caste system.'
Distinguishing From Traditional Caste
A crucial distinction Srivats made was that this campus hierarchy, while creating obsessions with status, was never tied to a student's family background or traditional caste. “Nobody asked, nobody cared” about one's birth caste, he asserted. He contrasted this with contemporary debates, where discussions often center on immutable birth-based caste identities, suggesting that such focus may not represent progress.
Context of Current Caste Discrimination Allegations
Srivats's comments arrive after the recent death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay, who allegedly died by suicide. Wakode's father has publicly alleged that his son faced caste-based discrimination and harassment from a professor. Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, citing alleged abetment of suicide and provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
IIT Bombay, however, has denied these caste discrimination allegations, stating that no such complaint was ever lodged by Wakode with its SC-ST cell or administration. The institute noted that Wakode was reportedly found using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during an examination, leading to an invigilator asking him to leave the hall.
Adding to the discourse, Pravesh Biyani, a professor with 14 years of experience teaching at IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi, publicly stated that he has never witnessed a teacher discriminate against a student based on caste in his 22 years of close observation of the IIT/IIIT system.