The provision is also reflected in the minutes of the IIT Standing Committee’s meeting in February this year.

This provides the much-needed cushion to the IIT faculty members who want to preserve the quality of teaching in these premier institutions.

While the faculty members at various IITs are alarmed about the move because of the possible effect on the quality of education, they feel that the acceptance of the Standing Committee recommendation on review of reservation annually will not lead to deterioration of standards in IITs.

“The problem with IITs is not really reservations in faculty. IITs have had reservations in faculty since 1974 after there was an order from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on SC/ST reservations. Then the orders came in 1989/1990 for OBC reservations as well. What we were thinking was that the new reservation proposal meant that it was only for entry-level cadre as lecturers.”