IIM-B deserves kudos for being the first autonomous B-school in India to announce that it would adhere to the government-mandated reservation quota for students from disadvantaged sections – the SC/ST/OBCs – in the doctoral fellow programme in management (FPM) 2018-19. So far, all IIMs have been following the reservation policy only in its flagship post-graduate programme (MBA). Sadly, this comes 56 years after the first IIM was established in Calcutta in 1961. Nevertheless, it’s better late than never.

In India, SC/ST/OBCs constitute about 70 per cent of the population, but they are glaringly absent in IIMs in faculty/research positions. It is, however, heartening that the IIM Alumni Global Network has been pushing for affirmative action, and has called upon other IIMs to follow suit, “to deal with the appalling diversity deficit at both doctoral and faculty levels”. Thewire.in points out that there are only two SC and 13 OBC members among 512 faculty members in all of the 10 IIMs. Also, the top four IIMs — Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Bangalore and Lucknow — have 24 SC/St/OBC students out of a total of 388 students enrolled in the FPM programme. Unless the fee structure is tailored to attract the vast pool of talent that lies untapped among students belonging to disadvantaged sections, premium management education cannot be made inclusive.

The IIM Alumni Global Network has suggested an “effective outreach initiative to publicise the admissions in all major institutions across the country, putting in place financial aid for those students who may have educational loan prohibiting them from pursuing a long-duration doctoral course, and steps to foster an inclusive and welcoming academic environment for students from marginalised communities”. Therefore, even as a new Bill passed by the Lok Sabha offers “unprecedented” autonomy to the IIMs, it should also ensure that and that no deserving student is denied access due to his/her inability to pay.

Senior Deputy Editor

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