Calls Mount for Urgent Action as SC, ST, and OBC Students Drop Out of IITs, Central Universities

The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has urged the Government of India to form a dedicated committee to investigate the escalating number of dropouts among SC, ST, and OBC students across these higher education establishments

Following distressing reports of students from reserved categories discontinuing their studies at prestigious institutions like Central Universities, IITs, and IIMs, demands are intensifying for immediate intervention.

The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has urged the Government of India to form a dedicated committee to investigate the escalating number of dropouts among SC, ST, and OBC students across these higher education establishments.

Highlighting the need for a comprehensive assessment, the association has underscored the necessity of a nationwide caste census to empower OBCs. Reports from Shiksha.com initially brought attention to the concerning trend of students abandoning courses in these premier educational institutions.

The Education Ministry, in a recent parliamentary session, revealed that roughly 14,000 students belonging to OBC, SC, and ST categories discontinued their education within Central Universities, IITs, and IIMs. Specifically, 9,642 students from these backgrounds ceased their studies in Central Universities, while 3,542 were from IITs. Notably, 2,066 OBC students, along with 1,068 SC and 408 ST students, were among those who discontinued their education at IITs.

Drop out numbers of past five years at IITs, IIMs, Central Universities

Despite the persistent push from OBC groups for revising the OBC Non-Creamy layer limit regarding income ceilings, the Government of India informed the Rajya Sabha that there are no current proposals for such revisions.

In response to the alarming dropout rates, AIOBCSA has called for urgent establishment of a committee to address this issue and implement measures such as regulating fees, increasing scholarships, and establishing anti-discrimination cells within universities and institutes. The plea emphasizes the critical need for proactive measures to support and retain SC, ST, and OBC students in higher education.

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