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Journalism of Courage
The number of dropout students from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in all Central Universities, Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), and the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) during the period between 2018 to 2023 has crossed 19,000.
This figure was shared by the Union Minister of State for Education, Subhas Sarkar, in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Tiruchi Siva, a member of the Parliament of India representing Tamil Nadu, had asked the government about the number of SC, ST and OBC candidates who have dropped out from IITs, IIMs and other central universities in the past five years. She also wanted to know “whether Government has conducted any study in regard to the reasons for the high dropout rate of OBCs, SCs, and STs students in these higher educational institutions”.
In response to Siva, Sarkar revealed that 6901 OBC candidates, 3596 SC and 3949 ST students dropped out of Central Universities. Similarly, 2544 OBC candidates, 1362 SC and 538 ST students dropped out of IITs. Additionally, 133 OBC, 143 SC and 90 ST candidates dropped out of IIMs in the past five years.
“The Government has taken various steps like fee reduction, establishment of more institutes, scholarship, priority access to national level scholarships to aid the students with poor financial backgrounds to pursue their education. For the welfare of SC/ST students the schemes like ‘waiver of tuition fees in IITs’, grant of national scholarships under Central Sector Scheme, scholarships in Institutes etc. are also there,” Sarkar added.
