Recently, Y Puran Kumar, a Dalit IPS officer from Haryana, died by suicide, citing caste-based discrimination, administrative harassment, and public humiliation.

Caste-Based Discrimination in Bureaucracy

• Systemic Bias: Denial of promotions, unfair Annual Confidential Reports, exclusion from cadre posts, and denial of leave for personal emergencies.
• Structural Malaise: Reflects the wider predicament of SC/ST officers, revealing the poison of caste in India’s “steel frame”.
• Supreme Court Context: August 2024 ruling on SC/ST sub-classification highlighted creamy layer exclusion, indirectly legitimising discrimination even for financially well-off SC/ST officers.

High-Level Incidents of Caste Bias

• CJI Attack: Chief Justice B R Gavai, a Dalit, faced casteist assault in the Supreme Court, showing that constitutional authority does not shield from caste prejudice.

Historical and Structural Insights

• B R Ambedkar’s Warning: Predicted caste-based discrimination in central bureaucracy, emphasizing that caste logic is ritual and relational, not just economic.
• Statistical Underrepresentation: Among secretary-level positions, SCs are 1.1%, STs are 3.37%, and OBCs are 0%, showing structural exclusion persists.

Challenges in Accountability

• FIR Registered: Following Kumar’s wife’s complaint, senior officers named in the suicide note are under investigation.
• Systemic Impunity: SC/ST POA Act cases rarely hold powerful bureaucrats accountable.

Way Forward

• Bureaucratic Reforms: Introduce caste-sensitive policies and ensure fair representation of SC/ST officers.
• Sensitisation Training: Mandatory caste-awareness programmes for bureaucrats.
• Redressal Mechanisms: Establish effective grievance channels to protect SC/ST officers.
• Cultural Change: Foster an inclusive work environment to prevent further discrimination and loss of talented officers.

Conclusion

The Kumar suicide case highlights the persistent structural caste bias within India’s bureaucracy. Without reforms, sensitisation, and accountability mechanisms, India’s “steel frame” risks continued corrosion under caste prejudices, undermining equity and governance.

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