IIM Calcutta Under Fire for Alleged Roster Violations in Faculty Recruitment

New Delhi- The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has condemned alleged violations of reservation policies in faculty recruitment at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta.

Kiran Gowd, National President of AIOBCSA, criticized the apparent discrepancies uncovered through RTI information, arguing that the institution's recruitment practices highlight the significant inequities faced by SC, ST, and OBC communities within India's premier educational institutions.

According to the RTI response, the total sanctioned faculty strength at IIM Calcutta stands at 126. Yet, data indicates significant deviations in filling these positions based on the reservation policy.

Out of 126 sanctioned positions, 53 were allocated for unreserved (UR) candidates. However, the RTI reveals that a total of 73 UR faculty members have been recruited—an overfill of 20 positions beyond the allocated limit. What’s more, an additional 20 UR positions remain vacant.

Meanwhile, the representation of OBC, SC, and ST faculty members remains strikingly low. The RTI indicates that IIM Calcutta currently has only:

• 4 OBC faculty members

• 2 SC faculty members

• 0 ST faculty members

• 1 EWS faculty members

This distribution starkly contrasts with the reserved quota guidelines intended to promote diversity and social equity. According to the reservation policy, OBC, SC, and ST positions should make up 27%, 15%, and 7.5% of the total sanctioned positions, respectively. However, the present data shows severe shortfalls in meeting these percentages.

The RTI data further revealed that of 46 Vacant positions, 20 UR positions, 12 OBC positions, 7 SC positions, and 3 ST and 4 EWS positions currently remain vacant, raising questions about institutional commitment to equitable recruitment.

Gowd, addressing these discrepancies, emphasized, “The RTI information we obtained from IIM Calcutta reveals clear violations of the reservation policy, highlighting the significant injustice faced by SC, ST, and OBC communities in IIMs and IITs. The Ministry of Education must take immediate action to address and correct these issues.” AIOBCSA has urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to investigate the roster violations and enforce equitable faculty hiring practices.

Similar Underrepresentation Issues Plague IIM Lucknow, Indore, and Trichy

The situation is not isolated to IIM Calcutta. As per an RTI query last month, by Kiran Gowd, it was revealed that IIM Lucknow currently has a sanctioned faculty strength of 103 positions, with an overwhelming 85.43% (88 positions) occupied by General Category candidates. Representation for other categories remains dismally low, with only 3 positions filled by OBC faculty (2.9%), 2 by SC faculty (1.9%), and none by ST or EWS candidates. Additionally, six positions allocated for General Category candidates remain vacant, alongside one for OBC, one for SC, and two for ST.

Recent RTI findings from IIM Indore and IIM Tiruchirapalli also highlight the systemic failures in faculty recruitment across these institutions.

At IIM Indore, out of 150 sanctioned faculty positions, a staggering 41 remain vacant, with no appointments made from SC or ST categories and only 2 from OBC backgrounds. Additionally, just one faculty member from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) has been recruited.

The alarming statistics continue at IIM Tiruchirapalli, where a shocking 83.33% of OBC, 86.66% of SC, and 100% of ST faculty positions are vacant, even though all General Category positions have been filled.