APSSC alleges IIT Bombay fails to recruit SC, ST, OBC faculty; cites RTI data

NEW DELHI: The Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSSC) has raised concerns over the lack of representation of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) faculty members at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. In a post shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), APSSC accused IIT Bombay of violating reservation norms and failing to recruit SC, ST, and OBC faculty despite receiving hundreds of applications.

The APSSC has posted on X, "Our latest RTI reveals that despite getting hundreds of applications, @iitbombay is not recruiting SC ST OBC faculty members and is violating the reservation norms and mission mode recruitment. Who will hold these savarna institutions accountable @EduMinOfIndia”

IIT Bombay: Faculty composition

According to data obtained by APSSC through a Right to Information (RTI) request, eight departments at IIT Bombay have no SC, ST, or OBC faculty members. Moreover, 25 departments have no ST faculty, 12 departments have no SC faculty, and 12 departments are without any OBC faculty members. The RTI data revealed that despite having over 670 general category faculty members, only 58 SC, ST, and OBC faculty members are currently employed at the institute.

Also read IIT Bhubaneswar fails to meet PhD reservation quota, no ST faculty hired in last 2 years: APPSC

IIT Bombay Recruitment: Low selection rate among reserved category candidates

The APSSC further shared a table showing the application and selection data for SC, ST, and OBC faculty positions in 2023 and 2024 at IIT Bombay. In 2023, 523 SC candidates applied, but only 4 were selected, reflecting a low selection rate. Similarly, 96 ST candidates applied, with none selected, while 779 OBC candidates applied, and again, none were shortlisted. In contrast, 2024 shows a slight improvement. Out of 44 SC applicants, 2 were selected, while 22 ST applicants resulted in 1 selection. The OBC category saw 106 applications, with 3 candidates selected.

Despite the marginal progress in 2024, the APSSC emphasized the overall lack of substantial change, stating that the low selection rates for reserved categories demonstrate issues in IIT Bombay's recruitment practices.

IIT Bombay's response

IIT Bombay's Director, Shireesh Kedare, emphasized on the institute's commitment to recruiting top-quality faculty members, from India and abroad, for both general and reserved categories. “The recruitment of faculty is a lengthy process, but we are constantly scouting for talent,” he said. Kedare also stated that the last special hiring round for government-mandated reservations was held in 2023.

He also clarified that although reserved category candidates benefit from certain concessions, such as age relaxations in accordance with government regulations, the Institute follows a consistent recruitment procedure for all faculty members, ensuring that quality is upheld. "Many faculty members from reserved categories often choose to join under the general category, opting not to disclose or use the quota system," Kedare added.

According to the official statement, IIT Bombay has 120 female faculty members, one of the highest numbers among all IITs. The institute remains focused on attracting top-quality educators while upholding its commitment to diversity and inclusion in academics, said Kedare. He also mentioned that IIT Bombay is gearing up for the next round of Mission Mode Recruitment (MMR) for reserved category candidates, with some also being selected through the regular rolling advertisement process.