Union Ministries Not In Support Of Proposal To Exempt IIT Faculties From Caste Based Reservation

The Union ministries of social justice and tribal affairs are not in support of government-appointed panel's recommendation that Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) should be exempted from reservations in faculty appointments.

The eight-member panel, including IIT directors and others, was formed by the Ministry of Education in April 2020 to suggest measures for effective implementation of reservation rules in students' admission and selection of faculty at IITs.

The panel had submitted its five-page report to the Ministry of Education in June last year (which was then called the Ministry of Human Resource Development) that 23 IITs should be exempted from reservations under Central Education Institutions (CEI) Act, 2019.

Central Education Institutions (CEI) Act, 2019, exempts institutions of excellence, research institutions and institutions of national and strategic importance from the caste-based reservation for faculty, The Print reported.

In a report submitted to Rakesh Ranjan, Additional Secretary of Department of Higher Education, the panel proposed that the IITs be included in the list of 'Institute of Excellence'.

As per the Government of India (GOI) norms, 10 per cent of all positions are reserved for candidates belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS), 27 per cent from other backward class (OBC) category, 15 per cent for scheduled cast (SC) category, 7.5 per cent for scheduled tribe (ST) category and 5 per cent for candidates with physical disabilities.

Last year the education ministry had sought for comments on the panel's report from the two ministries considering that they are the main stakeholders with regard to reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Government institutions doing away with reservation would be against the basic principles of reservation policies in India.

A meeting of the IIT council will be held soon in this regard.

An official in the education ministry said no decision had been taken on the matter yet. "The matter has been referred to the IIT Council for further discussion. It will then come to the ministry for any action," the official said".

The Education Minister and the IIT Council together look after the administrative and other important affairs at the institutions including MPs and directors of all IITs.

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has asked the education ministry to launch an inquiry into the recommendations on the basis of a complaints received.