It could take Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates approximately 400 years to achieve score parity with general category students for admission into Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) if the current conditions persist. Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates are also facing a formidable challenge, with a potential wait time of around 367 years to match general category scores without reservation benefits.
The report, compiled by an IIT Kanpur alumnus, examined historical admission data and normalised scores across various categories to assess the time required for these groups to bridge the performance gap. The findings reveal that the disparity in scores between general category students and those from SC and ST backgrounds remains stark, despite decades of affirmative action. The analysis, conducted by IIT an alumnus who experienced the reservation system firsthand highlights the significant challenges faced by reserved category students. The study drew upon data from the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and focused on median scores from 2013 to 2023. It identified a troubling trend during the COVID-19 pandemic, median scores for SC and ST students dropped by 30% to 40%, with scores for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) falling by approximately 20%.
Although there has been a slight recovery, scores remain below pre-pandemic levels, with annual declines of 1.4% for SC, 1.3% for ST, and 0.6% for OBC categories over the past decade. Their projections suggest that with a modest annual improvement of 1% in catch-up rates, SC and ST candidates could achieve parity in around 90 to 100 years. In contrast, a slower catch-up rate of 0.5% per year could extend this timeline to 180 to 200 years. The OBC category would require about 32 years to reach parity under similar conditions.
These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions to accelerate progress towards equality. The advocates for a focused approach to mainstream SC, ST, and OBC students, with a clear goal of achieving full parity within the next two decades. The report calls for policymakers to address the slow pace of integration and implement strategies that can significantly narrow the performance gap, ensuring a more equitable educational landscape for all students.
