My Caste (cs.toronto.edu)

Article summary

The author, a professor, publicly discloses their belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, which comprises 40-45% of India's population. They mention that OBCs are underrepresented in academia, citing data from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) where only one out of 180 CS faculty members belongs to the OBC category. The author also claims that there are at most five tenure-track faculty from the OBC category in North America's top 50 CS departments. The author's decision to disclose their caste was delayed due to fear of potential discrimination.

Main themes

• Caste-based discrimination
• Academic underrepresentation
• Indian society and culture
• Discrimination in the West
• Government policies and laws
• Personal experiences and anecdotes
• Social identity and hiding one's caste

What commenters say

• Caste-based discrimination is a significant issue in India and can also be found among Indian communities in the West.
• Some people believe that caste discrimination is nonexistent or exaggerated, while others have experienced it firsthand.
• It is possible to hide one's caste, but it can be difficult to maintain the charade, especially when faced with pointed questions or scrutiny.
• The Indian government's policies, such as reserving jobs and college admissions based on caste, can perpetuate caste-based discrimination.
• Some argue that the lack of representation of OBCs in academia is likely due to discrimination, while others think it may be due to other factors or that the Indian community in the West is too small to have a significant impact.
• Caste can sometimes be inferred from factors like last name, village of origin, or dietary preferences, but these methods are not always reliable.
• Laws and policies, such as the one recently passed in Seattle, can help address caste-based discrimination.
• The underrepresentation of OBCs in academia may be a result of systemic issues, including bias in hiring and promotion processes.