More than 19,000 students from OBC, SC and ST categories dropped out from Central Universities, IITs, and IIMs during 2018-2023, according to the Ministry of Education.
The data was shared by Union Minister of State for Education, Subhas Sarkar, in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha.
According to available records, the number of drop out students from 2018 to 2023 in Central Universities (CUs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in various courses is 19,256.
While 14,446 students from the three categories dropped out from Central Universities during the period, 4,444 students dropped out from IITs, and 366 from IIMs, the minister said.
“In the Higher Education sector students have multiple options and they choose to migrate across institutions and from one course or programme to another in the same institution. The migration or withdrawal, if any, is mainly on account of securing seats by the students in other departments or institutions of their choice or on any personal ground,” Mr. Sarkar said.
No case of caste discrimination and alienation of SC and ST students have been reported from IITs in the last five years, Mr. Sarkar informed the Rajya Sabha in response to a written question.
The Minister informed that seven cases of suicides by SC and ST students have been reported in IITs while the same number of students from the two categories in Central Universities died by suicide since 2018.