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Rutgers bans caste discrimination, rejects separate protection category
In a statement issued on Jan.13, the university announced that it would ban all forms of caste discrimination but would not add “caste” as a separate protected category to its non-discrimination policies, maintaining that existing policies already provide sufficient protections.
Rutgers University / Image- Rutgers
Rutgers University of New Jersey has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing caste-based discrimination on campus following the release of a report from its task force on Caste Discrimination.
In a statement issued on Jan.13, the university announced that it would ban all forms of caste discrimination but would not add “caste” as a separate protected category to its non-discrimination policies, maintaining that existing policies already provide sufficient protections.
The task force, formed as part of an agreement between Rutgers and the Rutgers AAUP-AFT union, was tasked with examining caste discrimination and evaluating whether caste should be explicitly added as a protected category in the university’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment. However, after reviewing the Task Force’s findings, the university concluded that caste discrimination is already addressed under broader categories such as race, religion, ancestry, and national origin.
“Caste-based discrimination is a problem at Rutgers that limits the potential and opportunities of some in our university community,” the task force stated in its August 2024 report. The report underscored the need for clear policies and educational initiatives to combat caste-based discrimination effectively.
Breaking | @RutgersU will NOT add “caste” as a separate category to the university’s non-discrimination policy!
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) January 14, 2025
Rutgers rejected the demand of an @ruaaup panel led by anti-Hindu ideologue Audrey Truschke, agreeing with HAF’s position that “caste” is already covered under… pic.twitter.com/KdWRH3HEPe
To enhance clarity, Rutgers will improve communication regarding the scope of its policies, particularly concerning caste discrimination, through official channels like the Office of Employment Equity (OEE) website. Additionally, the university plans to include caste-related questions in future campus climate surveys to gather data on the prevalence and impact of caste discrimination. This data will help inform future policies and training programs. The OEE will continue offering specialized training to ensure staff are equipped to handle cases of caste discrimination, alongside developing educational initiatives to raise awareness within the university community.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has praised Rutgers for rejecting the demand to create a separate caste category, agreeing that caste is already covered under existing categories such as religion, ancestry, and national origin. HAF also criticized the Task Force report for relying on what it called “unfounded claims” and emphasized that caste discrimination should be seen as part of broader issues of social hierarchy, not as a specific form of discrimination tied to one community.
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