The All India Other Backward Classes Students’ Association (AIOBCSC) has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to extend the Rohith Act to students from Other Backward Classes (OBC) along with those from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
In a letter to the CM dated March 9, the AIOBCSC said that the Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) Bill 2025 was a “significant and progressive step toward addressing discrimination, exclusion and harassment in educational institutions”.
A week ahead of the budget session, the Karnataka Cabinet discussed the draft Rohith Act, a civil law to protect SC and ST students in higher education institutions from caste-based discrimination and exclusion.
On March 6, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the state government would enact the law in all higher education institutions.
However, the Association said that it was important to recognise that students from OBC communities “also experience various forms of discrimination, social exclusion and institutional barriers in universities and higher education institutions”.
The letter said that many OBC students, particularly those from marginalised and educationally backward communities, face challenges related to representation, access to fellowships, hostel facilities, evaluation biases and social discrimination.
The Association said including OBC students within the bill would ensure that the legislation “reflects the broader spirit of inclusive justice”.