Over the past five years, more than 13,600 students from reserved categories have withdrawn from central universities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), as revealed in a recent disclosure in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Education, Subhas Sarkar. The statistics, provided in response to a query by BSP member Ritesh Pandey, outline the dropout numbers for different categories in each type of institution, as reported by PTI.?

In Central Universities (CUs), the data showed 4,596 OBC, 2,424 SC, and 2,622 ST students withdrawing during the specified period. Meanwhile, IITs reported 2,066 OBCs, 1,068 SCs, and 408 STs dropping out, while IIMs recorded figures of 163, 188, and 91 for OBC, SC, and ST students, respectively.

Addressing the concerns raised, Minister Sarkar highlighted the dynamic nature of the higher education sector, emphasizing that students often migrate between institutions and shift between courses within the same institution. He attributed the withdrawals to factors such as securing seats in preferred departments or institutions and personal reasons.

Regarding National Law Universities (NLUs), Sarkar clarified that they operate under state legislatures, and the central government does not maintain dropout data for these institutions. In response to questions about government initiatives to tackle the issue, Sarkar outlined various measures, including fee reduction, the establishment of more institutes, and scholarships. He specifically mentioned schemes like the 'waiver of tuition fees in IITs' and national scholarships under the Central Sector Scheme, emphasizing their importance for the welfare of SC and ST students.