I expected this.

But still, why snowflakes downvoting my comment which summarises my lived experience?

You don't like the fact that I am speaking out against it? You think you can suppress my truth? You think its not possible in this day and age?

Get out of your bubble maybe. Honestly, I prefer the overtly casteist people, not these liberal snake casteists who pretend or don't know how casteist they are.

My father is an educated brahmin. He actually hustled to get where he is today. A well respcted lawyer in the community. He considers dalits, poor people, and the minorities who have a "lot of kids"sub humans. He also finds there isn't descrimination in Modi's India. I think you will get along.

Idk since I am not from an NLU. However I did have a friend in my school, a rather expensive one. Infact, the school was shit expensive! But then my dear friend went to the third best NLU while I out of quota chap did not despite my dear friend having a rank that was lower than mine. I remember him being afflicted by certain racist / casteist incidents but this was conveyed through social media. I had little to no sympathy but yeah, no one should be at the receiving end of such incidents.

At my college, I didn't see any caste-based discrimination, but definitely cliques and peer groups were formed between people coming from similar backgrounds, and that way, a lot of people from the reserved categories were left to fend for themselves. Of course, there were people in this category who were friends with people from a much higher economic strata, but they were few and far.

Part 2 of my comment. Published too early, had more to say.

I see - 3 downvotes on this main post. Are people afraid to see that discrimination and bullying actually exists? Also, if you haven't availed reservation refrain from commenting it doesn't exist, because, get this, its not your place or right to say so.

Now apart from what I have said.

a. A priestly caste classmate of mine has said casteist things to my SC classmate. Some abhorrent stuff, which he to this day refuses to speak about.

b. This UC classmate of mine has thrown shade on other savarnas who are Lower than him on the totem pole, so you can imagine. Man's a snake and a social climber.

c. People will exclude you from social plans for no obvious reasons suddenly.(I know it happens to normal people as well. But we're talking caste and reservations here and it being the obvious case)

Now during the course of our studies many of these so called Meritorious students who got in on merit. Who were especially proud of their genes, always had a family connection to get a top notch internship in firms and regulatory bodies. Whereas i had to walk to my dream firm, because I had exactly 15 rupees in my pocket, in biting old shoes to apply for internship (thank heavens they rejected me) and ended up with a swollen big toe and pinky toe. They got these internships on their merit or connections? Is that merit?

Many of these same people ended up with mediocre jobs (even LPOs) and lives per LI standards. But it doesn't matter, coz they have intergenerational wealth. I mean they can go expensive and elaborate trips and have insane houses when earning less than half of what I earn, collectively with their spouses!

Another very proud fellow, used his connections in his community to secure a nice plush job in his initial years and is now a partner in an average firm.

I now know that the condition in my alma mater has changed for the better amongst students (not all students). I'm proud of the kids there today.

I joined an NLU through a reservation rank.

At the time I had joined the so called NLU, i was ashamed that I had joined through reservation.

At the time, because of the then prevailing sentiments of the time (the then government had implemented / was to implement the 27% reservation for OBCs) anti reservation sentiment was in fervour. Savarna wokes were crying hoarse against reservation with a lot of vigour.

At the time, there was no one to tell us that reservation wasn't a handout. Nor did we have the language to articulate our situation.

I mean the criminal law professor in class during the discussion in first year on reservation believed / misrepresented to the students that reservations are for economic upliftment (lol. That show's his merit). So you can imagine our position, fresh into law school, no language or position to argue.

Now to the juicy bits.

To add context, in my alma mater at the time, majority of the professors and administrators were Savarnas. And especially belonging to one particular powerful caste of that state, who think they are of the "warrior" caste.

I grew up in a metro city, my English was and is impeccable, even more than some students from metro cities of India because of difficult financial situation at home pre law school. Infact I could give a SoBo boy a run for his money in terms of eloquence and polish. My name also sounds like a super higher caste name, because of lack of surname. Even today people from my workplaces think I'm from the priestly caste. Lol.

Ok enough context.

1. In private discussions, I have had people rant infront of me that caste reservations shouldn't be allowed. And even if they are, then people like this (pointing to me) should only be allowed. I had this wave of shame pass from my head to toe. I didnt know what to say, but to stare apologetically at the group.

In hindsight, they wanted someone who shares their high class aesthetic and polish, listens to western music be allowed.

2. I have heard conversations through other people where I know classmates have said people like me don't deserve to be in college and should be kicked out. These were people who were very friendly with me on the face, but said this behind my back.

3. In terms of romance, I can never confirm this, but I'm certain a romantic interest of mine was convinced against dating me partly due to caste. I say partly because there were other minor reasons by the persons who did badger her not to, and they may not have mentioned this overtly to her. I can never know, i could be wrong, just my hunch.

4. A professor in my college was in private with Savarna students of his caste very pally and would tell them how to behave according to caste.

5. I am pretty sure paper grading was biased according to caste, may not have been always. But sure was sometimes.

6. An SC professor in my college was definitely ostracized by other faculty. About him, he was very bad at teaching initially. He was also very bad diction and speaking. But I swear he improved by leaps and bounds and could explain concepts and theories so well. But was never given due credit. Whereas, professors who were stagnant and outdated and had mediocre teaching skills were celebrated just because of their savarna aesthetics.

7. I have had people innocently declare that (a) they want a nice Rajput (insert savarna caste) boy /girl for marriage, (b) they are of high birth, and have best genes in India, (c) they are the highest amongst the priestly class. As if we're scum, one or two of these genes fellows even had genetically deformed limbs.. The irony was not lost on me then, but I didn't want to hurt their feelings.

I know for you savarnas this is par for the course, and my statements may seem glaring. I don't think you guys understand the position of power you are in, and what goes through our minds. You guys are absolutely cut off from the plebians. You may be poor, but you're a poor rich person. We are the poor.

Also, why I am i seeing comments from people who haven't availed reservation here claiming there's no discrimination? You guys sit and don't take space here, its not your comment section here.

A very good podcast on this condition that i went through exists. Its by Anurag Minus Verma and the guest was Buffalo Intellectual.

Btw. You guys should attend Buffalo Intellectual's stand up (semi-comedy) show for a whole lot of context and reality check.

Again savarnas. Dont speak here please. Dont you claim there's no discrimination. You create a separate thread for it. Mods please look into it.

I mean when you see 'reserved' students regularly outperform others in college exams and moots and when you realise that ranks don't matter, most people tend to forget about caste only WITHIN the boundaries of the college - careless casteist comments are common, but outright discrimination I've not seen. I've heard some first years from a tier II NLU beat up a lower caste guy and 4-5 of the perpetrators got expelled from the hostel - so I'm not entirely discounting the experience because a few dumbfucks do do this

I'm from MNLU M, and I can't speak for my juniors, but there always seemed to be an unconscious divide where castes formed cliques - there was nothing overt and most were friendly enough with each other. I've seen misogyny from the batch, not casteism, if that makes it any better.

No, discrimination or any differential treatment on the basis of reservation alone is pretty much non-existent. Don't forget NLUs have state-based domicile reservation as well, which altogether, pushes the proportion of reserved seats to at least ~70% across all NLUs. State-based discrimination owing to the domicile quotas may prevail on some degree though, not too aware of that.