Kerala PhD scholar’s plight rekindles memories of Rohith Vemula
Kerala University PhD scholar Vipin Vijayan has accused his supervisor of caste bias and humiliation, sparking outrage and demands for a fair probe
When Vipin Vijayan, a PhD scholar from a Dalit community at the University of Kerala, wrote that he could “hear the cries of Rohith Vemula”, his words carried a haunting familiarity. His distressing account of caste discrimination, academic humiliation, and institutional silence has started stirring Kerala’s academic conscience and reignited questions about how power, prejudice, and politics continue to shape Indian universities.
The controversy
The controversy began when Vipin, who is pursuing his doctorate in Sanskrit, accused his research supervisor, Dr. CN Vijayakumari, Head of the Department and Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, of caste bias and abuse of authority. In a formal complaint to the University and in subsequent statements, Vipin alleged that Dr. Vijayakumari questioned his basic eligibility for the PhD, claiming he "did not know Sanskrit," despite having completed his M.Phil under her supervision.
He also alleged that Vijayakumari made a caste-based remark on multiple occasions by saying, "Now you have entered this department impurely; the department must be purified". She allegedly said that Vipin was unworthy to pronounce the word 'Sanskrit'.
According to him, this remark, meant for internal communication, was leaked to the media, which quickly painted him as “an SFI leader who doesn’t know Sanskrit but is being awarded a PhD through political influence.”
Also Read: How a 'dharma-ordained' caste system has killed India's prosperity
According to Vipin, the report, followed by sensational news coverage, devastated his academic reputation. Speaking to the media and writing online, he said the narrative had left him “branded forever with a false label.”
“The tag ‘a scholar who doesn’t know Sanskrit’ has been stamped on me like a scar that will never fade,” he wrote on Facebook. “This propaganda, devoid of a shred of truth, has caused wounds that will never heal. My PhD is my life, and overnight, everything I worked for feels erased.”
M.Phil degree under same supervisor
Vipin insists that he holds a legitimate M.Phil degree in Sanskrit from the same university, supervised, ironically, by the same professor now questioning his language proficiency. His dissertation, titled Epistemological Review of Kenopanishad, was guided and approved by Dr. Vijayakumari herself. “If I didn’t know Sanskrit,” he asks, “how did I complete an M.Phil under her supervision? Did she certify a fraud, or did I somehow forget the language overnight?”
Also Read: Karnataka's Rohith Vemula bill proposes jail, fines for caste discrimination in higher education
Vipin’s complaint to the University accuses Dr Vijayakumari of subjecting him to sustained caste-based bias and using her administrative authority to obstruct his progress. He claims that his thesis, Sadgurusarvasam, had already been evaluated positively by external examiners and the open defence committee, both appointed by the Vice-Chancellor, when she intervened, questioning the legitimacy of the process.
Dr. Vijayakumari guided Vijayan and approved his dissertation titled Epistemological Review of Kenopanishad. Photo: The Federal
'Actions are purely academic'
Vipin further alleges that ideological differences compounded the hostility. Vipin identifies with the Left, while Vijayakumari is reportedly active in a teachers’ organisation affiliated with the Sangh Parivar.
The Federal tried reaching Professor Vijayakumari over the phone, but she did not take the call. Instead, another person answered, saying he would convey the message and get back. Queries were also sent to her via WhatsApp, which remain unanswered.
Also Read: US: California State Senate passes caste discrimination Bill
However, speaking on a Malayalam television programme, Professor Vijayakumari denied the allegations against her. She maintained that her actions were purely academic and in full compliance with university regulations, adding that her only concern was the well-being of her students. She did not, however, directly address the accusation of caste discrimination.
“The allegation of caste discrimination does not affect me in any way, and I do not wish to enter that subject,” she said. “I did not choose to be born into the community that wears the sacred thread. These are times when such identities can shift. I will not be disturbed by this controversy. As Dean, I will continue to point out lapses wherever I see them. The charge that I made casteist remarks is not an issue at all. I will accept whatever decision the university takes. Time will prove the truth. I stand on the side of righteousness.”
Dr. CN Vijayakumari, Head of the Department and Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. Photo: Special Arrangement
Rigid academic structure
Vipin maintains that his thesis was written in English, something permitted by the University’s regulations for Sanskrit research. Many earlier dissertations in the department, he points out, were also in English or Malayalam. “There is no rule that the open defence must be conducted only in Sanskrit,” he said. “If that were so, several of the department’s own research works would be invalid.”
The university has not commented publicly beyond confirming that the matter is under review. But for many academics and former students, the silence is deafening. They argue that the issue has exposed the vulnerability of research scholars within a rigidly hierarchical academic structure, where a guide’s power can determine a student’s career and credibility.
According to his Facebook post, he earned a B.A. and M.A. in Sanskrit from Sri Sankaracharya University, a B.Ed. and M.Ed. from the University of Kerala, and an M.Phil. in Sanskrit from Karyavattam Campus.
Political debate
The controversy spilled into Kerala’s political arena after former Finance Minister and senior Left leader T.M. Thomas Isaac expressed shock at Vipin’s allegations. In a widely shared Facebook post, Isaac wrote:
“The Facebook post by Vipin Vijayan, a PhD student of Kerala University, has shocked me. Is caste hatred thriving even in this university? The Dean of the Sanskrit Department, Ms. Vijayakumari, must respond to the allegations raised. If the charges are true, she has no moral right to continue even for a moment.”
Also Read: Bihar election: Gaya’s Musahars, who await life of dignity, hold key to 3 seats
Isaac went further, describing Dr. Vijayakumari as a leader of a Sangh Parivar–affiliated teachers’ group. “Her remarks show the direction in which the Sangh Parivar is trying to steer Kerala’s education system. These proponents of Manuvada must be driven out of Kerala,” he said.
A classic example of Vemula situation
The incident has triggered a wider debate in Kerala, a state that prides itself on its social reform legacy and educational achievements. Scholars and student groups have pointed out that even progressive spaces are not immune to entrenched caste and ideological prejudice. It also echoes the tragedy of Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad Central University, who too was targeted through bureaucratic letters and media narratives before his suicide in 2016.
Also Read: Radhika Vemula: The journey from a victim to leader
Kerala University’s handling of the complaint will be closely watched. Academic bodies, Dalit collectives, and student organizations have demanded a transparent, time-bound probe and safeguards against the misuse of internal reports or leaks that can damage reputations. Whether the University acts decisively or allows the issue to fade into bureaucratic silence will decide not just Vipin’s future, but Kerala’s claim to an academia free of prejudice.
