IIT Delhi issues mandate to establish SC/ST Cell; IIT Bombay students laud move

Today, March 16, IIT Delhi passed a mandate for constituting an SC/ST Cell in the institute. In a notice, IIT Delhi mentioned that the move was in accordance with the University Grants Commission's (UGC) mandate for such a cell. "The SC/ST and OBC Cell will exclusively look after the work related to SC/ST and OBC matters, and no other work is assigned to the Cell," the notice states.

According to the mandate, the said Cell was set up to:
1. Implement reservation policy for SC/ST and OBCs in the institute
2. Implement reservation policies in respect of admissions, appointments to teaching and non-teaching positions
3. To take such follow-up measures for achieving the objectives and targets laid down by the Government of India for reservation
4. To implement, monitor and evaluate continuously the reservation policy and plan measures for effective implementation

The cell will principally "deal with representations received from SC/ST and OBC candidates regarding their admission, recruitment, position and other similar matters," the notice states. It adds that a Grievance Redressal Cell will be maintained by the SC/ST Cell to help the concerned candidates in solving academic and administrative problems.

IIT Delhi's move has been lauded by the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a students' body from IIT Bombay. The body has expressed itself on Twitter, saying, "@iitdelhi has passed the mandate for SC ST cell. They have included the reservation of PhD and faculty within the mandate. Congrats to APPSC IIT Delhi for pushing this. We demand @iitbombay to pass the mandate which we have prepared along similar lines. All IITs should."

IIT Delhi's move becomes all the more significant as it comes after the tragic case of Darshan Solanki, a student from IIT Bombay, who died by suicide due to alleged caste discrimination. APPSC had claimed that the institute was turning a blind eye to discrimination on campus.