By Fida Fathima
Wearing a keffiyeh, Dalit PhD scholar Anagha Shashi has been protesting alongside her mother for the past six days at Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University in Kerala, alleging that caste- and gender-based discrimination, harassment and denial of academic opportunities have prevented her from progressing with her research for more than a year.
Anagha, who joined the university’s Department of Environmental Science in March 2024, said that despite completing her PhD coursework more than a year ago, she has yet to begin her research, with the university failing to convene her Doctoral Committee and delaying the submission of her annual progress report.
She said the Doctoral Committee should have been convened within six months of completing her coursework, while the delay in submitting her annual progress report has put her Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) fellowship at risk.
During the same period in which her research remained stalled, Anagha alleged that she was instead assigned cleaning and clerical work at the department.
She accused her guide, Arun Babu V, and faculty member Jaini Varghese of making her perform non-academic tasks, including washing and arranging laboratory equipment and organising old records, dissertations and study-tour reports. In the absence of a lab assistant, she said she was required to work alongside another female student, including on Saturdays, to dust and arrange materials.
Anagha said she repeatedly complained about being assigned such work, but alleged that her complaints were dismissed and no effective action was taken.
She further alleged that she was denied even a chair and workspace at the department. When she raised the issue, she said Arun Babu told her, “If there is no chair, stand in the corridor,” forcing her to remain outside on several occasions, including during rain.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.