An RTI (Right to Information) request has unveiled significant disparities in faculty representation at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar, focusing on Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Filed by Kiran Kumar Gowd, President of the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA), the RTI report dated September 6 reveals that of the 300 faculty positions available at the institute, only 213 have been filled.
The data highlights a concerning imbalance in representation: General category faculty occupy 80.28% of the positions, while OBC faculty make up just 12.96%. SC faculty account for 5.63%, ST faculty for 0.4%, and EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) faculty for 0.4%. There are currently 95 vacant positions. The figures include visiting faculty and the director, suggesting that the issue extends beyond regular faculty appointments.
The student association has criticized the representation as "dismal," reflecting ongoing issues with diversity and inclusion at IIT Bhubaneswar. This situation mirrors broader concerns across other premier IITs, such as IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur, where similar RTI requests have also exposed deficiencies in the representation of marginalized groups. The findings underscore the need for more equitable hiring practices and a renewed focus on inclusivity within India’s top educational institutions. The revelations highlight an urgent need for reform to ensure fair representation and opportunities for all faculty members.