IITs to get 1,000 extra seats from next year
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has decided to allot at least 1,000 extra seats to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) from the next year, giving more engineering aspirants a chance to study at the famed institutes. Currently 10,998 students are admitted to IITs every year. The ministry aims to increase the number to 12,000 by 2018.
Most seats will be allotted to new campuses
Though most of these seats will be allotted to the new institutes including those being built at Ropar, Indore and Hyderabad; old institutions in Delhi, Kharagpur and Mumbai will also get a few extra seats. With the construction of the new campuses going on at the desired rate, they should be able to accommodate more students by next year.
Special seats for female candidates from next year
From 2018, IITs will have special seats reserved for female candidates. During a Joint Admission Board (JAB) meeting this year, a 14% rise in the seats for women - around 600 - was recommended. If implemented, it will take the total number of women's seats to 1,440. Women currently constitute only 8% of the total number of students at the 23 IITs across India.
The growing problem of vacant seats at IITs
However, despite hundreds of thousands of students applying every year, IITs have lately been facing the problem of increasing number of vacant seats. About 120 were left vacant at all IITs combined this year. In 2016, this number was 96, and 50 in 2015. To mitigate the crisis, HRD ministry has suggested several ways - including the option of scrapping unpopular courses.
