In the year 2008, Deepak Kumar (Saif Ali Khan) finds himself in a challenging situation during a job interview for a teaching position at a prestigious school. Unfortunately, the interview panel terminates his candidacy upon discovering his low-caste background. Distressed, Deepak confides in his mentor, Dr. Prabhakar Anand (Amitabh Bachchan), the esteemed principal of STM college. In a moment of encouragement, Dr. Anand offers Deepak a temporary teaching role at STM, providing him with a sense of hope. Deepak is supported by his friend Sushant, an upper-caste student, and his girlfriend Poorbi (Deepika Padukone), who also happens to be Dr. Anand's daughter.
As political tensions rise, state minister Baburam expresses his desire to enroll his troublesome nephew at STM, but Dr. Anand stands firm in his refusal. The minister retaliates by placing his ally, Mithilesh Singh (Manoj Bajpayee), on the STM college board—an individual motivated solely by greed and self-interest. The minister harbors grand ambitions of creating a multi-billion dollar educational empire, planning to leverage Mithilesh's outside business, a coaching class, to achieve his goals.
In a pivotal moment, the Supreme Court mandates reservations for Other Backward Classes. This ruling incites a rowdy celebration among STM students, which Sushant finds particularly irritating, as he feels personally affected due to having lost a place in his preferred college because of the new rules. In a confrontation between students, Dr. Anand witnesses an unexpected turn as Deepak, whom he believed to be an ally, unexpectedly criticizes him. Following this incident, Poorbi confronts Deepak, demanding he apologize to her father; he refuses, leading to their breakup.
The opposing perspectives on educational reservations manifest through the clashes between Sushant and Deepak, representing the conversational divide between upper and lower castes. While the lower castes welcome the reservations, viewing them as a pathway to greater educational opportunities, the upper castes argue against them, asserting the need for a level playing field. The moderate administrators of STM worry that the introduction of reservations at the college level might ignite tensions among the students. Dr. Anand, however, has always championed the cause of underprivileged students by providing them opportunities through less conventional means.
When questioned by a reporter, Dr. Anand boldly expresses his belief in the necessity for some form of reservations free from political agenda. The outcome? Headlines erupt with claims that Dr. Anand supports reservations, sparking outrage among the STM board. They warn Dr. Anand that his opinions may lead to his ousting as his views could be construed as official STM policy. Ultimately, he resigns, and Mithilesh is appointed as the new principal.
Adding layers to the story, a few months prior, Dr. Anand had graciously allowed the sons of his deceased ex-vice principal to reside in his home until they could get back on their feet. When Mithilesh ascends to the vice principal position, he instigates a legal arrangement with these sons to operate coaching classes on the premises for two years. Upon returning to his home post-resignation, Dr. Anand discovers this arrangement and attempts unsuccessfully to reclaim his space from Mithilesh. As a result, he is compelled to seek refuge with a fellow teacher.
Returning from his PhD studies in the US, Deepak endeavors to leverage his Dalit political connections in a bid to evict Mithilesh from the house. However, Mithilesh counters with his own formidable political clout, making Deepak's efforts futile. In a moment of desperation, Deepak storms Mithilesh's coaching center, an incident that is captured live on television, resulting in both Deepak and Dr. Anand getting arrested for their unruly behavior.
Determined to challenge Mithilesh through education, Dr. Anand retreats to a cowshed with his friend Shambhu, the cowherd, to establish a makeshift school for underprivileged and needy children from the surrounding impoverished area. His early teaching successes include Muniya (Aanchal Munjal), Shambhu’s daughter, who excels in her board exams. The principal of Muniya's school expresses interest in sending more students to join Dr. Anand’s teachings.
As the cowshed school gains recognition, drawing students away from Mithilesh's coaching class, Mithilesh retaliates by acquiring a permit to demolish the cowshed. However, the intervention of the reclusive magnate Shakuntala Tai, the founder of the STM institutions, saves the day as she contacts the chief minister, who promptly halts the demolition plans. Mithilesh’s reign comes to an abrupt end, and Dr. Anand rises to become the chief trustee of STM and the principal of the newly established STM Remedial Center, solidifying his legacy in the educational landscape.
