Rahul Gandhi Criticizes Govt Over Vacant University Posts, Calls It Bias Against Bahujans

Quick Summary

• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the Modi government on july 25, 2025, over vacant reserved posts for SCs, STs, and OBCs in central universities.
• He alleged that this is a “well-planned conspiracy” to exclude ‘Bahujans’ (SCs, sts, and OBCs) from education, research, and policy-making spaces.
• According to figures presented by the government:

– 83% of professor posts for sts are vacant in central universities.- Similarly vacant are: 80% for OBC professors and 64% for SC professors.
– For assistant professor positions: vacancies include 65% for ST candidates,69% for OBC candidates,and 51% for SC candidates.

• Rahul Gandhi stated these high vacancy rates amount to “institutional Manuism” which deprives marginalized communities of rightful opportunities through claims of “Not Found Suitable” judgments against eligible candidates.
• He urged immediate filling of these posts to ensure fair representation.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This issue highlights systemic concerns over representation in India’s higher education sector. The reported vacancy percentages are meaningful enough to warrant both scrutiny and actionable steps. If accurate as quoted by Mr. Gandhi based on government data shared in Parliament discussions, it could point toward inefficiencies or biases within recruitment processes at premier institutions such as central universities.

From a policy perspective, addressing such vacancies is not only crucial for ensuring social equity but also forms part of India’s constitutional commitment toward upliftment of marginalized communities like SCs/STs/OBCs. Failure to act decisively may deepen perceptions of institutional exclusion among these groups. Proactively tackling recruitment gaps while ensuring suitable candidates are found would be key areas demanding attention from policymakers moving forward.

Read more at: The Hindu