A Survival Guide for Bahujan Students in Elite Spaces
Hey everyone, I am very grateful to have found this sub. This sub is a much-needed safe space for our people.
A few years ago, when I started college, I was very happy that I got into the college I’d dreamed of, but I was also terrified—and you know the reason. Within months, I wanted to run away from college and never return. College is hard for everyone, of course. It’s nothing like the glossy, utopian campuses in Karan Johar’s films. But for Bahujan students, the experience is uniquely alienating. The environment isn’t just challenging—it’s hostile.
For most students, college is a place to explore, grow, and expand, but for us, it’s a space where we’re made to feel ashamed of our existence. Instead of blooming, we shrink. We try to hide ourselves, take as little space as possible, and confine ourselves to our rooms. What’s an 18-year-old supposed to do when their worth is reduced to an entrance exam rank or a caste certificate? It’s dehumanising.
It is hard to study when you constantly live under the pressure of hiding your caste/rank. How do you focus on studies when you’re drowning in self-doubt, questioning whether you even deserve to be there? How do you listen to a professor’s lecture when your mind is screaming that your classmates see you as “undeserving”?
For a very long time, even after college, I thought there was something wrong with me, that I was stupid. It took me a very long time to realise that it was not an individual experience—a lot of our people feel the same way. People will say rank is asked only in the first year, and after the first year, none of it matters. STFU. You create an environment where you belittle people because you don’t know any better and then tell us it’s just one year. It feels like we’re forced to trade our dignity for admission.
It doesn’t end in the first year. The humiliation stays, and it shapes your life. That is why I think we need a survival guide. I am adding a few things here which might help. I hope others who’ve navigated these spaces will add theirs in the comments.
- Ignore. I know it’s easier said than done. If you can, the best would be to stop giving a fuck about what they say. The college belongs to you as much as it belongs to any other Savarna kid. Don’t let anyone gaslight you into believing anything else. You are there because you deserve it!
- Build a DBA community: A lot of the time, we think we’re alone, but in reality, many people are also going through the same struggles. At least you can rant with them—it won’t change much, but you’ll feel a little less heavy and might find a sense of belonging. (What we as a sub can do: Create a list of students/alums from different colleges/universities willing to help others in the community. This can include supporting smooth transitions into college life, guidance for clearing specific courses, strategies to avoid academic backlogs, assistance with degree completion, internship and placement advice.)
- Understand that you must work harder than others, not because you are stupid but because they have been conditioned differently since childhood. Most of them have better resources, support and guidance than you. They might get better marks than you even by studying a day before the exam. DO NOT COMPARE.
- This one is especially for engineering colleges (Tier-1): Do not miss lectures. Listen to the professor in class. Do not use your phone during classes; make notes and revise the same day; tuts and PYQPs are a must. Do not wait for the exams to study; study every day. If they are studying for 1 hour, you must study for 4. Try to keep your CGPA above 7 ( You will see many people in these colleges who will study 1 week before the exam and get good grades; don't get discouraged by that. They have been conditioned since childhood for this; most of us have not, so work harder than them).
- Mental support: Find trauma-informed therapists. A lot of Savarna therapists can't understand our struggles. They might just dismiss or misdiagnose you because "CaStEiSm Is NoT rEaL".
- Build a strong network: Try to find like-minded people. Don't just confine yourself to your room. This will help you later in life. Also, try to participate in extracurricular activities, clubs and sports. Extracurricular activities are essential for your growth and CV, but don't forget academics.
- For Hindi-medium students: As soon as you finish your exam (JEE Advanced), start learning English. They won't teach you engineering in Hindi.
- Develop hobbies. Don’t fuck up your sleep schedule, or you’ll miss lectures or doze off in class. Eat at least three meals a day.
- For boys: Stay away from incels and toxic online spaces.
- Relationship: I know love and all feels great initially, but ask their views on caste, reservation, Hindutva, etc. No one is worth sacrificing your studies or career for. One wrong relationship can mess you up.
Global IIT Alumni Support Group: https://sites.google.com/view/mentoringiitians/about-us?authuser=0