Reservation policy in Indian Institutes of Technology

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) practices affirmative action and offers reservation to backward sections of the society. SC/ST/OBC candidates mostly selected against general seats with high marks. However, a few backward class students still face casteism in India so all SC/ST/OBC candidates are offered relaxed admission norms for selection in IIT via reservations.

India is one of the few countries that practices affirmative action on a large scale. B. R. Ambedkar, the Minister of Law in the Interim Government, and a leader who drafted of the Indian constitution alone according to constitutional debate available on the government website, made provisions for reservations for Scheduled Castes (previously termed 'untouchables') in government run institutions in the 1950s. Consequently, IITs have been offering reservation for Scheduled Castes and Tribes of society since 1973. However, while a policy of quota system exists throughout the country for their reservation, a slightly different scheme is implemented in IITs, as these are Institutes of National Importance.

The IITs had initially 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).

Currently, reservation of 15%, 7.5% and 27% seats are provided for candidates hailing from SC, ST and OBC communities. In case enough candidates do not meet minimum qualifying criteria as per written tests, SC/ST candidates are permitted a relaxation of 50%. If some vacancies still exists, a further relaxation is offered with a deferred admission after 1 year of Preparatory Course study covering physics, chemistry and mathematics. 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 SC/ST students are not transferable to General Category and roll on to the next year's students from the Preparatory Courses.

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