Lately, a video of an abusive Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur professor has been doing the rounds of social media.
An Associate Professor of Humanities and Social Science, Seema Singh can be heard screaming at a visibly terrified group of students in an online classroom setting. The virtual classroom consisted of a batch of preparatory students viz. students from the ST/SC category and students with disability. Candidates who are unable to get admission to IIT through JEE Advanced are given one year of preparatory classes to qualify for a seat next year.
According to The Print, a student who was attending the session confirmed that the professor was upset because she assumed the students didn’t stand up for the national anthem, while allegedly everyone did stand up.
She can clearly be heard shouting ‘bloody b*st#rds’ in the leaked video, first uploaded by a Facebook Page named ‘KGP Confessions’. She’s also heard calling the students ‘shameless’.
Tamal Nath, the registrar told The Hindu, “A few hours ago, I got an email in this regard. In the IIT system, we do not support such language. We will take some action”
People on social media condemned the spiteful behaviour of the teacher, while demanding action against her.
There is no discrimination in premier institutes? This is what happens in IITs. IIT Kharagpur Prof. Seema Singh openly abuses freshers enrolled in Preparatory English Course for SC/ST/PD students and challenges them to complain.
Will the government book her under PoA Act? pic.twitter.com/YvzOuxjmwm
— Azhar (@lonelyredcurl) April 26, 2021
The Casteist remarks made by a Professor of IIT Kharagpur on SC/ST students during an online class are atrocious.The professor must be suspended with immediate effect and booked under SC/ST Act. Casteism will not be tolerated at any cost. #End_Casteism_In_IIT
— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) April 26, 2021
The National Commission for SC/ST must take cognisance of this asap. I also hope that IIT Kharagpur places this faculty on immediate suspension. This is brazen atrocity—many thousands of such incidents occur because of casteist faculty–for once, we have audio/video evidence. https://t.co/0QfNGq63UB
— dr. meena kandasamy | இளவேனில் (@meenakandasamy) April 26, 2021
Totally intolerable & shocking news from IIT Kharagpur, once again SC, ST student now suffering from threatening, abusive languages, stop it right now, Prof. Seema Singh should be removed immediately. #End_Casteism_In_IIT
— Hansraj Meena (@HansrajMeena) April 26, 2021
We hope the authorities take necessary action and prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the future.