IIT Bombay Responds to Allegations of 'Misleading' Figures on Faculty Recruitment

According to details provided by the student organization, Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC) at IIT Bombay, out of the 21 teachers recruited by IITB in 2023, merely four are from reserved categories, with all of them being Scheduled Castes (SC).

In response to recent allegations regarding faculty recruitment, IIT Bombay has issued a statement addressing what it terms as "misleading figures" circulating in the media. The institute clarifies that since 2021, it has offered positions to 27 Scheduled Caste (SC), 6 Scheduled Tribe (ST), 29 Other Backward Class Non-Creamy Layer (OBC NC), and 1 Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates, with many already joining and some yet to do so. The statement further adds that interviews are ongoing for certain departments.

Earlier reports, citing an RTI reply, had raised concerns over the lack of recruitment of ST and OBC faculty members in the past year. According to information from the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC) at IIT Bombay, out of 21 teachers hired in 2023, only four belonged to reserved categories, all of whom were from the SC community. This recruitment pattern reflects a broader disparity, with only 6% of the institute's faculty comprising individuals from backward communities.

The revelation has sparked criticism from students, who argue that such lopsided recruitment violates the reservation policy for central universities, which mandates quotas for SCs, STs, and OBCs. The institute's struggles with achieving diversity extend to its PhD programs, where marginalised students face challenges in enrolment. In 2023, several departments admitted no ST scholars, while others saw limited representation of SC and OBC candidates.

IIT Bombay's difficulties in achieving diversity goals echo broader concerns across the IIT system, despite directives from the Supreme Court and the University Grants Commission to adhere to reservation policies. The court's December 2022 ruling mandated compliance with the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2019, prompting scrutiny of recruitment practices at premier institutions like IIT Bombay.

The statement from IIT Bombay comes amidst growing calls for transparency and accountability in faculty recruitment, highlighting the imperative to address systemic barriers to diversity and inclusion within academic institutions.