Student groups from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and the SC/ST workers’ union at IIT joined the students in their protest, which began at 10.30 this morning. “Caste-based discrimination exists everywhere, so we are taking this opportunity to speak out against it,” Kanak Lata, a DU student, said.

Twelve of the 20 students expelled from IIT this year belong to the SC/ST category, and it is they who sparked off the entire controversy, leading to an intervention by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).

On the basis of guidelines provided by the NCSC, IIT formed a review committee on June 20 to look into the matter. The Dalit students, however, are not convinced with the entire arrangement.

“This is nonsense. When people have expelled us on purpose, how can they be part of the review? They didn’t even listen to our version when the review was being carried out,” a student said.

A delegation of the Dalit Students’ Forum for Justice — a Dalit students’ organisation — submitted a memorandum to the IIT director today, demanding that the institution form another committee, with five representatives from social organisations. “The current committee formed by IIT has all its members from the institute. Unless an outsider presides over the workings, we cannot expect justice to prevail,” said Sanjeev, a member.

The two-hour long agitation and slogan shouting by students forced the Dean of Student’s Welfare, S R Kale, and the Deputy Director (Administration), H C Gupta, to come out and speak to them.