Ensure reservation policy is adhered to in IITs, DMK MP Wilson urges Union Minister

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson on Wednesday (September 11, 2024) urged Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan to periodically review reservations for marginalised communities in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson on Wednesday (September 11, 2024) urged Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan to periodically review reservations for marginalised communities in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country.

“As the Chairman of the IIT Council, it is imperative that your good self periodically review reservations for marginalised sections, hold the Directors of respective IITs accountable for any deviation, and initiate disciplinary action,” he said in a social media post.

Mr. Wilson, highlighting information provided under the RTI Act that reveals a lack of adherence to the reservation policy at IIT Gandhinagar, said while the total faculty strength at the institute is 190, the present strength of 135 had 116 persons from the general category, eight from Other Backward Classes (OBC), seven from the Scheduled Castes (SC), and four from the Scheduled Tribes (ST).

“These numbers defy adherence to Constitutional reservations,” he said.

The response under the RTI Act was secured by Gowd Kiren Kumar, the national president of the All India OBC Students’ Association.

Mr. Wilson said it was “essential to examine whether these reservations for OBC/SC/STs are strictly followed or if only lip service is provided at these IITs.”