IITs Implement OBC Reservation Plan

IIT Joint Entrance Board have decided on implementing OBC Reservation in the existing IIT institutions of about 9% in 2008 with a target of achieving 27% by 2010. The Board consisted of seven IIT institutions, Ministry of HRD, and other key institution representatives.

The three new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan that will start functioning this year will be implementing 27% OBC reservation at the first go itself along with 22.5% for SC/STs. The cut off rate set for the OBC students is at 90% of the cut off for the general category.

Mr. Surendra Prasad, director of IIT Delhi, has emphasized on the fact that this add-on would in no way compromise on the quality of these institutions and the Board is planning ways of recurring funds from the government for the development and management of infrastructure, hostels, teachers, and other requirements of the elite institutes. He also made it clear that existing seven IITs at Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Mumbai, Roorkee, Guwahati, and Chennai will be increasing the number of seats by 13% to accommodate the 9% OBC quota so that the existing seats in the general category is not conceded.

The new IITs will be having 120 seats out of which 49.5% will be in the reservation quota. Mr. Prasad also said that the students coming in the OBC merit list would be asked to submit their family income certificate to verify their non-creamy category status, which will be decided on the central OBC list.