India, Nov. 7 -- The Centre's proposal to have a panel review the UGC equity rules for higher education institutions has reopened the debate about caste discrimination, and its impact on young minds. This is brought out well in Perumal Murugan's Seasons of the Palm (translated into English byV Geetha in 2017). In three sections, Dust, Fine Mud, and Dry Earth, the novel traces how the protagonist, Shorty, goes from being a young, carefreeboy from a caste labelled untouchable by othersto a teenager resigned to suffering, owing toyears of degrading and inhumane treatment. The evolution of the dynamic between Shorty and his employer's son, Selvan, who is roughly the same age, highlights the discrimination that many take for granted. The book helps contextualise why the marginalised castes still need protection, even (and especially) in universities....