(a) whether the Government has taken note that students belonging to the Scheduled Tribes (STs) are facing discrimination/bias even in the class rooms;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has issued any directives to the State in this regard; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and response of the States thereon?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA)
(a) to (d): No such instance has come to the notice of this Ministry. However, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which was brought into force for checking crimes against people of these communities, takes strong view against such issues. There are provisions of Courts, Investigating Officers and Nodal Officers to specifically take appropriate actions in such cases. Punishment provided for under this Act for such offences are more stringent than punishments for corresponding offences prescribed under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other laws.