Telangana to enact Rohith Vemula Act to curb discrimination in higher educational institutions
Hyderabad, July 16 (TNT): Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday said the state government is committed to eliminating identity-based discrimination in higher educational institutions through a comprehensive legislation to be named the Rohith Vemula Telangana (Prevention of Identity-Based Discrimination in Higher Education) Bill, 2026.
Chairing the first meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to draft the proposed legislation at the State Secretariat, Bhatti Vikramarka said the government was determined to create a peaceful and discrimination-free environment across universities and colleges.
Ministers Duddilla Sridhar Babu, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar, who are members of the committee, attended the meeting.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the death of research scholar Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad had shaken the conscience of the nation and underscored the need for strong legal safeguards against discrimination in educational institutions.
He said the Congress government, under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, was fulfilling its commitment to introduce a law to ensure a discrimination-free education system in the state.
Bhatti directed officials to expedite preparation of the draft legislation by constituting a committee of officials and preparing a comprehensive report covering the legal framework and implementation mechanisms.
He asked officials to study similar legislative initiatives being undertaken in Karnataka and incorporate suitable best practices into the proposed law.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the legislation would be drafted through a consultative process by inviting suggestions from political parties, student organisations, civil society groups and the public before finalising the Bill.
He said the Cabinet Sub-Committee would examine the feedback received before approving the draft for introduction in the State Legislative Assembly.
To ensure the legislation is legally robust, Bhatti Vikramarka said Supreme Court advocate and social activist Disha Wadekar had been invited for consultations.
He said her legal expertise would help strengthen the proposed law and minimise the scope for future legal challenges.
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