IIT Mandi in Hot Water: What’s the Truth Behind AI Course Reservation Controversy?

Mandi – The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi is embroiled in a significant controversy surrounding claims of flouting Government of India (GoI) reservation norms in its Minor in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science program, offered through the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).

The dispute centers on allegations that IIT Mandi collaborated with Anuradha Tiwari, a content marketing entrepreneur and TEDx speaker, to promote the course as a merit-based initiative without reservations, only to disassociate itself after backlash from Ambedkarite groups. The incident has sparked intense debates about reservation policies, institutional transparency, and the role of affirmative action in skill-based education.

The Course and Its Promotion

The Minor in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science is a 15-credit, 9-month program launched by CCE, IIT Mandi, in collaboration with Masai School and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Designed for beginners with basic programming and mathematics skills, the course aims to equip students with foundational and advanced skills in AI, machine learning, neural networks, and big data analytics.

With a foundation start date of June 25, 2025, it offers 250 seats per cohort, of which 164 remain available. Admission requires passing a qualifier test, with a ₹99 fee that is refundable for those who do not qualify or choose not to enroll post-counseling. The course, taught by IIT professors, includes hands-on projects to prepare students for high-demand tech careers.

Anuradha Tiwari posted on social media platform X about the course, claiming that IIT Mandi had approached her organization to collaborate on promoting this “first skill-based initiative.” Her post read:

"First Skill-Based Initiative Update
IIT Mandi reached out to us to collaborate on their certified course in Data Science & AI with merit-based scholarship & no Reservations.
More Details: bit.ly/aiWithIIT
Test fee: ₹99 (Refundable)
Starting next month, we’ll fully sponsor 1-2 deserving students from low-income backgrounds.
In return, those students will have to teach 10 GC students - for FREE.
Once our organisation’s website is live, we’ll launch more such initiatives & internship updates."

The promotion was done approximately a fortnight ago. Tiwari’s post emphasized merit-based scholarships and explicitly stated that the course had “no reservations,” referring to the absence of quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), which are mandated by GoI norms for most educational programs.

She also announced that her organization would sponsor fees for one or two low-income General Category (GC) students, who would then teach other GC students for free, aligning with her advocacy for a “self-reliant” open category community.

Ambedkarites Raise Concerns

Tiwari’s post, which garnered significant attention, drew sharp criticism from Ambedkarite groups for flouting reservation policies. They tagged IIT Mandi’s official handle and sent emails to the institute, demanding clarification and accusing it of flouting affirmative action policies.

Ambedkarites argued that all educational programs, including skill-based certificate courses, should adhere to reservation mandates, which typically reserve 15% of seats for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC, and 10% for EWS in centrally funded institutions like IITs. They viewed the absence of reservation clauses in the course description as a deliberate attempt to exclude marginalized communities, undermining the principles of social justice championed by Dr. Ambedkar.

Following the uproar, Tiwari claimed that IIT Mandi contacted her on June 15, requesting she delete her post. She complied, but later that day, IIT Mandi issued an official statement on X:

IIT Mandi has no association with Ms. Anuradha Tiwari and does not endorse her claims on reservation. The institute strictly follows all GoI norms regarding reservation and will take appropriate action against those spreading false or misleading information.

The institute’s statement denied any collaboration with Tiwari and refuted her assertion that the course lacked reservations, emphasizing its adherence to GoI policies. It also warned of potential action against those spreading misinformation, implicitly targeting Tiwari’s claims. This swift disassociation fueled further controversy, as Tiwari accused IIT Mandi of succumbing to external pressure and retracting an initiative that was initially merit-based.

Tiwari alleged that IIT Mandi had approved every word of her original post and had explicitly directed her to highlight the absence of reservations. She claimed the institute’s reversal was due to fear of Ambedkarite backlash, accusing it of lying about its own course to avoid controversy.