First phase of IIT quotas from 2007-08

The implementation of OBC quotas in Indian institutes of technology (IITs) will begin from academic year 2007-08.

This became clear at a meeting between Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh and directors of the IITs today.

Observing that these institutes would be able to implement reservation according to the road map drawn by the Veerappa Moily committee in three phases, Singh said, "In the first year, ie 2007/08, there seems to be no difficulty."

There are seven IITs in the country--Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Chennai, Mumbai, Roorkee and Guwahati.

The Moily committee, which prepared the road map for the implementation of 27 per cent OBC reservation in elite institutions, had proposed different schedules for different institutions.

As far as IITs are concerned, the committee had suggested they would add 9 per cent quotas each year from 2007-08 to 2009-10 to reach the level of 27 per cent.