The Global IIM Alumni Network has written to the Director of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), Prof Bharat Bhaskar, pressing for the immediate implementation of the reservation policy for the institute's PhD programme. The letter, drafted by Sunil Rajak, IIMA alumni, highlights the commitments made by IIMA in its affidavit filed with the Gujarat High Court in response to the Writ Petition (PIL) filed by the alumni network on September 28, 2023.
"Given that the admission cycle for the 2023-24 Ph.D. programme has concluded and the Common Admission Test (CAT) for the 2024-25 cycle has already been announced on July 28, 2024, we urge you to expedite the implementation of the reservation policy for the upcoming Ph.D. admissions at IIMA,” states the letter which is dated July 29, 2024.
In the affidavit, IIMA had committed to adhering to the Government of India's reservation policy for its PhD and related programmes. This change in stance followed a period of contention where IIMA had argued that reservations in the PhD/FPM (Fellow Programme in Management) course could potentially lead to inequities for other deserving and meritorious students.
However, the institute later reconsidered its position. “All the IIMs have implemented this policy and it is necessary that IIMA also does,” says Sunil Rajak while speaking with EdexLive.
Rajak’s letter further stresses this urgency and states, "It is imperative that IIMA takes proactive steps to ensure adequate representation of scholars from marginalised sections of society in its PhD programme."
To recall, this request stems from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Global IIM Alumni Network in 2021. The PIL contends that despite being governed and funded by the Union Education Ministry, IIMA has been allegedly violating the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (CERA Act), during the PhD admission process.
The PIL points out that 15 out of 20 IIMs across the country already provide reservations for their PhD programmes in compliance with the CERA Act. Given that all IIMs are governed by the IIM Act, 2017, which classifies them as central institutions under the CERA Act, IIMA's compliance is seen as a necessary step towards equity and inclusiveness.
The letter to Prof Bharat concludes with a call for prompt action to honour the commitment made by IIMA in the affidavit, to ensure a more inclusive education and equitable representation at the institute.
