IIT Delhi: 460 faculty posts vacant, but only 1-2% represent SC, ST, RTI data reveals

NEW DELHI: In Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) faculty members constitute a little over 2% and 1% respectively, according to the RTI data shared by the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA). Despite having a total sanctioned faculty strength of 1,093, IIT Delhi is yet to fill 460 vacant posts, the data revealed. Expressing concerns over under-representation of underprivileged groups, the student group asked “Where is social justice?”

IIT Delhi was ranked fourth best institute in India, as per the NIRF overall rankings 2024 published by the ministry of education. As of June 31, 2024, a total of 633 faculty members, including assistant professor, associate professor, and professors, are on roll in IIT Delhi. Out of which, 563 belong to the general category constituting 89.1%, 45 OBC representing 7.1%, and SC, ST make up 2.69% (17 members) and 1.11% (7 members). Currently, the institute does not have a PwD faculty, the data showed.

“A flexible cadre is followed for appointments to academic positions at IIT Delhi, hence category-wise break-up for individual posts is not possible to be provided,” the RTI reply read.

Sharing the “much-awaited” IIT Delhi faculty RTI data, the OBC student group asked “Where is social justice? Where are the SC, ST, and OBC faculty members?” The RTI was filed by AIOBCSA’s national president Kiran Kumar Gowd.

The Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a student collective at IIT Bombay, has also been actively vocal against the violation of reservation criteria in faculty recruitment and PhD admissions at IITs. It had earlier shared RTI data showing violation of reservation policy at IIT Madras and IIT Bombay.

In February, the APPSC shared an RTI reply which revealed that a total of 132 PhD seats were denied for SC, ST, and OBC by IIT Delhi, as per the PhD admission 2023-24.