Chamarajanagar: Students Drop Out After Dalit Woman Appointed to Serve Mid-Day Meals in Government School

A deeply disturbing incident has come to light from Homm village in Chamarajanagar Taluk, where a group of students dropped out of a government school following the appointment of a Dalit woman to serve mid-day meals.

India’s history is marred by caste-based discrimination—where individuals from marginalized communities were denied access to shared spaces, drinking water, and even basic human dignity, often treated as untouchables by the so-called upper castes. While many assumed that such discriminatory practices had been left behind, this incident is a painful reminder that caste prejudice is still very much alive.

In the government school at Homm, the appointment of a Dalit woman as a cook for the mid-day meal program triggered an extreme response from parents. Allegedly unhappy with her caste, parents of 21 out of 22 enrolled students withdrew their children from the school, with 12 already collecting their Transfer Certificates (TCs) and 9 others submitting applications for the same. Only one student continues to attend classes.

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The incident has understandably left the appointed woman deeply hurt and disheartened. What was meant to be a simple job opportunity has instead exposed the persistent and corrosive influence of caste-based discrimination, even within institutions built to foster equality, inclusion, and learning.

This case raises serious questions about societal attitudes and the urgent need for education reforms and awareness to address deep-rooted prejudices in rural India.