The Minister of State for Education, Subhas Sarkar, revealed a concerning statistic in a recent written reply to Lok Sabha. Over the past five years, a staggering 13,626 students from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) backgrounds have dropped out of prominent institutions such as central varsities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

When pressed about the causes behind this disheartening trend, Sarkar cited the students' tendency to shift between institutions or courses within the same institute. He attributed these transitions primarily to securing seats in preferred departments or institutions or due to personal reasons.

The breakdown of data revealed that among the dropouts, 4,596 belonged to the OBC category, 2,424 were SC students, and 2,622 were ST students from Central Universities. Similarly, 2,066 OBC students, 1,068 SC students, and 408 ST students withdrew from IITs, while 163 OBC, 188 SC, and 91 ST candidates discontinued their education at IIMs during this period.

In response to this concerning trend, the government has initiated various measures aimed at supporting students hailing from economically challenged backgrounds. These interventions encompass fee reduction strategies, the establishment of additional educational institutions, the provision of scholarships, and facilitating priority access to national-level scholarship programs.

Highlighting the government's commitment to the welfare of SC/ST students, Sarkar emphasized various schemes like tuition fee waivers in IITs and the allocation of national scholarships under the Central Sector Scheme.

Institutions have also implemented specialized mechanisms such as SC/ST students' cells, Equal Opportunity Cells, Grievance Cells, Social Clubs, and the appointment of Liaison Officers to proactively address issues. Furthermore, the University Grants Commission (UGC) consistently issues directives to foster inclusivity and unity among students.

News Source: The Indian Express