DALIT

Dalit and Other Backwards Castes students prove their merit in India's toughest examinations

IIT results show success of quota

May 26, 2011, 03.59am IST

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-26/hyderabad/29585257_1_t-s-natarajan-general-category-st-category

HYDERABAD: A new trend has surfaced in the IIT results this year. A large number of SC, ST and OBC students have made it to the open category list, securing some of the top ranks this year.

Karimnagar boy J Varun, for instance, who bagged the ninth rank in the open category, secured the first rank in the OBC category. He said he would take admission in IIT-Bombay in the open category as he has earned it. Another student Rama Krishna Banoth, who scored first rank in the ST category, has secured 133rd rank in the open category.

This year, the trend is not limited to a few, say IIT officials. "In JEE-2011 the performance of SC students is brilliant. This year, the SC seat list will be completely occupied, as against the previous years. And now many of the general category ranks are occupied by these students," said T S Natarajan, chairman, JEE South Zone Committee. IIT officials said that at least 10-15% of the students from the reservation categories have made it to the general category too.

IIT experts from the city said that, even in the previous years some students from SC and OBC categories made it to the general category, but the figures this year are mind-boggling, they said. "In reserved category list, the state has secured about 35 ranks. And most of the rank-holders have secured ranks ranging from 9 to 250 in general category. This would mean that more number of students from these communities are making their way into what was once reserved only for OC students," said Chukka Ramaiah, who has been training students from these communities for the last many years.

Welcoming the trend, P M Bhargava, former vice-chairman, National Knowledge Commission said that this indicates the success of the reservation policy adopted by the government. "The idea behind reservation is to make socially and economically backward communities get access to education and other facilities which were once monopolised by the privileged classes and castes. After generations of reservation benefiting people, now emerges a new generation of Dalits and BCs who do not need reservations as they have become very much a part of what is called the "merit" list," he said.

According to IIT officials, in the past five years, there has been a momentous growth in the number of students from these communities making it to IITs. "A new social change is under way and IITs welcome that," said Natarajan.