The premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are gearing up to complete the implemention of the scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST) and other backward classes (OBC) quota requirement for faculty positions from next year.
IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Bombay and IIT-Roorkee, for instance, have started the advertising and selection process for these reserved faculty positions.
The IITs have been implementing the student SC/ST/OBC quota for the last two years and are likely to complete the phased implementation within a year.
Though the previous HRD minister Arjun Singh had asked the IITs to introduce the faculty quota, the elite institutes were up in arms against it. After much uproar, protest and candlelight vigils inside campuses, they were directed by current HRD Minister Kapil Sibal a few months back to toe the government line. The ministry has asked IITs to lay down 15 per cent quota for SC candidates, 7.5 per cent for ST candidates and 27 per cent quota for other backward classes (OBC) in teaching positions.
A spokesperson for IIT-Kharagpur, said: “Without any compromise on qualification, experience and competence, reservation, according to the government of India rules, is available only at entry-level positions of Assistant Professor. However, while recruiting faculty for subjects other than science and technology, reservation shall also be applied in full including for the posts of Associate Professors and Professors.”
IIT-Kharagpur has started advertising for fresh faculty intake and is implementing the ST/ST/OBC faculty reservation from next year, but primarily at the entry level other than the science and technology stream which is the thrust area of any IIT.
IIT-Bombay is also implementing the faculty reservation quota from next year. An official at IIT-Bombay told Business Standard: “This time the advertisement inviting applications for faculty positions clearly mentions the quota implementation. Our earlier advertisements inviting applications from faculty never specifically quoted the reservation but this time we have mentioned it to ensure there are enough applications.”
A professor from IIT-Roorkee, on conditions of anonymity, confirmed: “We have started the process of implementing the SC/ST/OBC quota for faculty positions. We have also finished the selection process for a few teachers. IIT-Roorkee has over 350 teachers right now and it is increasing the number.”
