Reservation policy in Indian Institutes of Technology

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The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) offer reservation for backward sections of the society. The current limit is 15% of seats for candidates belonging to Scheduled castes (SC) and 7.5% of seats for candidates belonging to Scheduled tribes (ST). No separate reservation exists for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Contents

1 Historical overview
2 Policy implementation
3 Recent developments
4 Arguments against reservation
5 Arguments in favour of reservation
6 External links
7 References
8 See also

Historical overview

India is one of the countries that practices affirmative action. B. R. Ambedkar, the father of Indian constitution, made provisions for reservations for minorities in government run institutions in the 1950s. Consequently, IITs have been offering reservation for Backward Classes of society since 1973. However, while a policy of quota system exists throughout the country for reservation of Backward Classes, a different scheme exists in IITs as they are Institutes of National Importance.

The IITs had initially implemented a quota system, but the quota system was scrapped and the modified scheme described below was introduced in 1983. This procedure was evolved based on the experience of implementing a quota system for ten years (1973 - 1983). The logic cited for this procedure is that IITs being Institutes of National Importance, there should not be any compromise on the quality of students studying in them; accordingly, students admitted through the reserved quota have no relaxation in requirements for passing courses or getting the degree. They are, however, allowed to complete the program at a slower pace (take longer to get the degree).

Policy implementation

Difference between theoretical and actual reservation in IITs

Currently, there exists a reservation of 15% for SC and 7.5% for ST candidates.[Reservation of seats after clearing IIT JEE] on IIT Madras' Website. URL accessed on 10 April 2006. However, the IITs are not bound to fill these seats, and many of them remain unfilled owing to the nature of selection process. As per the rules, all the Backward Class candidates have to appear in the Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) with the rest of the students. Based on the results of IIT-JEE, those Backward Class candidates that qualify by a relaxed selection criteria of scoring more than two-third of the marks scored by the last General Category student are admitted directly to IITs. Another slab of candidates who do not meet this relaxed admission crietria are offered a Preparatory Course of physics, chemistry and mathematics at the IIT concerned. After one year of study, only those candidates who are able to clear a cut-off in the End Semester Exams are allowed into regular studies at the IITs. The seats reserved for Backward Class students are not transferable to General Category and roll on to the next year's students from the Preparatory Courses.

Recent developments

In 1989, Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh accepted and implemented the proposals of Mandal Commission that recommended provisions for reservations in private unaided institutions as well as high-end government jobs for minorities communities. It also laid stress on including the OBCs in the perview of reservations. There were massive student protests throughout the country against it, but the proposals were eventually implemented. However, no changes took place in the IITs because of the legislation. But in the year 2005, based on the recommendations of an independent panel, the UPA government at the centre proposed to implement quota system for Scheduled caste, Schedule tribe, Other Backward Classes and minority communities in IITs and IIMs (for both students and faculty). Opposition led by BJP strongly opposed quota for minorities as "dangerous and divisive".[Reservation in IIT, IIMs dangerous: BJP] on ExpressIndia.com. URL accessed on 10 April 2006.

In order to pave way for such reservation scheme, the Constitution of India was amended (the 93rd Constitutional Amendment, originally drafted as 104th Amendment Bill). In 2006, the UPA government promised to implement 27% reservation for OBCs in institutes of higher education (twenty central universities, the IITs, IIMs and AIIMS) after 2006 Assembly elections. This, if implemented, would reduce the seats for the general section of the population to less than 50.5% (since those for whom the quota is granted can compete with the general section also on merit).

This led to sharp reactions from the student communities in the institutes concerned and also substantial opposition from students of other colleges as well. Students gathered undered the banner of "Youth for Equality" and demanded that the government roll back its decision to grant more reservations. Nearly 150 students went on hunger strike in AIIMS (Delhi) which, as on 23rd May has entered into its ninth day.[Quota: Striking doctors continue to go hungry] Within the next few days, students from all IITs joined the protest in one form or the other. Student protesters were reportedly beaten brutally in Mumbai and Delhi. Resident doctors from all over India joined the protests crippling the health infrastructure of a number of cities.[Anti-quota protests spread][Nationwide anti-quota stir continues] The government took stern measures to counter the protesting doctors by serving them with suspension letters and asking them to vacate the hostels to make way for newly recruited doctors. Many states have invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and gave notice to the doctors to return to work in 24 hours failing which legal action will be taken against them. The government has also put on alert 6,000 men from Rapid Action Force to take care of any untoward incident. However in most places the protesters remained defiant regarding ESMA. Few IIT students also wrote to the President of India requesting him to allow them to commit suicide if the proposed reservation is implemented.

In addition to complete roll-back of the proposed reservation, the striking protesters have demanded that an expert committee comprising members from non-political organisations to review the existing reservation policy and find out whether reservation for OBCs is required at all. This is based on the current confusion over actual population of OBC as various organizations have indicated various figures for the population of OBCs. This is mostly because the 1931 national census was the last time detailed population and economic data was gathered along with caste information for the OBC population. The Mandal Commission, using extrapolated 1931 Census figures, put it at 52 per cent, the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) at 32 per cent and the National Family and Health Survey at 29.8 per cent. Keeping in view the fact that already 23.5% of all college seats are reserved for OBCs, the rationale of extending reservation is debated.[Quota: Just how many OBCs are there?] The protesters also demand that no penal action be taken against the protesters and publication of a white paper by the government, making its stand clear on reservation.[GoM submits report, docs soften stand]

Meanwhile the National Knowledge Commission has requested the government to maintain the status-quo on the issue; 6 out of 8 of its members felt that alternative avenues have been insufficiently explored.[Knowledge panel for status quo on quota] After the HRD minister Arjun Singh criticized the Knowledge Commission for its stand, two members of the Commission (Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Andre Béteille) resigned on 22 May, 2006.[Two members quit the Knowledge Commission]

Around the same time, a section of the media has reported that IIT Delhi, an elite institution is half-hearted about reservation and that it denied admission to a topper from the Scheduled castes in its post-graduate programme. [SC topper denied entry into IIT]

Arguments against reservation

The main argument against the concept of reservation is that it goes against the idea of merit and would dilute the IITs as one of the basic reasons behind their success is the excellent students they get via IIT-JEE. It is also being argued by the opposers that the irreparable damage caused during the childhood of the individual, cannot be rectified at a later stage. Also, the primary education provided by the government to the economically poor is highly inadequate, and this negligence by the government is the root cause of the problem.[Should IIT/IIM quotas be increased to 49.5%?] — An interview of Prof. Indiresan on Times of India. URL accessed on 10 April 2006 Statistics across the IIT's reveal that while about 4-5% of general category students do not complete their degree program, the number goes up to about 20% for reserved category studentsEquality Through Reservations (A study) - Viney Kirpal and Meenakshi Gupta. Statistics from 1989-1992.. This is used as an argument against reservations claiming that the reserved class candidates are not adequately prepared to face the challenging academic life in IITs.

In response to the govenment's assurances that seats will be increased in the institutes so that the general category students don't get affected, another point raised against reservation is that most of the seats reserved for backward classes remain empty and hence any more reservation is a waste of resources. A major concern among them is also the fact that implementing reservation in institutes of higher education would be difficult unless the quality of faculty in them is diluted. They back this point by the fact that all IITs and IIMs are facing shortage of faculty and hence increasing the seats will lead to deterioration of education. For example, while IIT Kharagpur requires 667 faculties, it currently has only 470. Similarly, IIT Bombay has just 401 faculties as against the required 529.

Arguments in favour of reservation

The most important argument in favour of reservation is basically economic in nature.If there is discrimination and exclusion prevailing in any of the institutions, whether industry,educational instutions, it has a negative impact on the economic growth.In the absence of equal opportunity, a sizeable section of the soceity remain either unemployed or underemployed.The burden will be taken by a miniscule economic agents accessing opportunity to the mentioned institutions.Reservation as a form of positive discrimination should be welcomed for the national interest.But this shouldn't mean reducing the opportunity for the general categories.Government should try to accmmodate all by creating more number of educational institutions. Some people consider the additional procedures for admission into the IITs as unnecessary and counter-productive. The opposition to the policy of reservation (through the prepratory course), and favoring direct admission is based on the following arguments:[Dalits at the Indian Institutes of Technology] on People's Union for Civil Liberties (pucl.org). URL accessed on 10 April 2006.

In the present scheme, a large number of seats remain vacant. According to some estimates, only 10% of seats actually go to the Backward Class candidates.
The current procedure is humiliating for the Backward Class candidates as they have to study separately during the preparatory course.
They face a wasted year, as they go through the additional year of studying the Preparatory Course.

On the philosophy behind the process of reservation itself, the people in favour of reservation feel that reservation is necessary to undo and counter the evils of centuries of caste system that prevailed in the country. They also feel that merit (as it is defined today) is something that is achieved with the help of cramming, tutoring, constant guidance, quality schooling and knowledge of English and poor Dalits, poor MBC's lack all/most of these.

External links

[Diluting Mandal]-A take from S.S.Gill,Secretary,Mandal Commission.
[The Mandal Commission].