Issue of PhD admission of Dalit student in BHU: Machhlishahr MLA Dr. Ragini Sonkar and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad wrote a letter – the process is against social justice!
When Shivam Sonkar did not get admission into PhD, he started crying profusely and his video went viral on social media in the last two days.
Published on: 24 Mar 2025, 12:09 pm
Varanasi- The case of injustice done to Dalit student Shivam Sonkar regarding PhD admission in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has created a stir in political circles. Machhlishahr MLA Dr. Ragini Sonkar and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad have written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BHU Vice Chancellor demanding immediate action in this matter.
Shivam Sonkar had applied for PhD in Peace Research for the 2024-25 session at the Malaviya Peace Research Center of BHU. He secured second position in the general category RET (Research Entrance Test) exam, but did not get admission. Shivam alleges that despite three seats of RET Exempted category being vacant in the department, he has been denied admission. He has started protesting outside the Vice Chancellor’s residence and is demanding justice. When he did not get admission in PhD, Shivam Sonkar burst into tears, the video of which went viral on social media in the last two days.
In this case, Machhlishahr MLA Dr. Ragini Sonkar has written a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad has written a letter to the BHU Vice Chancellor demanding immediate action.
MP Azad wrote, “Under the PhD admission process in Kashi Hindu University, Shivam Sonkar, who has applied for the subject of Peace Research in the session 2024-25, is being treated unjustly. It is extremely worrying that despite three seats of RET Exempted category being vacant in the department, he is being deprived of the admission process. His non-admission despite getting rank 2 in the general category in the RET exam raises serious questions on the transparency of the admission process and the principles of social justice. If the vacant seats are not converted to RET mode, it will not only be injustice to a deserving student, but will also indicate social discrimination. Shivam Sonkar is a Dalit student and the allegations of discrimination against him are very serious. Kashi Hindu University, which is a great educational institution established by Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya, if a tendency like caste discrimination is seen there, it will prove fatal for the concept of democratic values and social justice. Therefore, I humbly request you to take immediate cognizance of this matter and ensure appropriate action by conducting an impartial investigation, so that on the basis of merit, the candidates can get admission in the university. But the admission process should be completed fairly. Also, the university administration should ensure that in future no student is discriminated against on the basis of caste, religion or any other basis.”
In her letter to the UP Chief Minister, Dr Ragini wrote, “The university administration is giving admission to only 12 seats in RET, despite 03 seats of RET EXEMPTED being vacant, Sonkar is not being given admission. This type of process is not only against social justice in higher education, but it is also injustice to the educational future of Dalit students. The injustice being done to Shivam Sonkar is a violation of the constitutional principles of social justice. This incident highlights the discrimination being done to Dalit students in higher education. “
Here the BHU administration says that the admission process has been done in a completely transparent and rule-based manner. According to the university, the seats in the RET Exempted category cannot be converted to RET mode after the counseling process begins.
